Part of the Team
by Acuna Magnus Bane
Summary: the team is getting a new team mate. what happenes when she gets on a case.
1. Chapter 1

"Alright tomorrow we have a new team member joining us." Hotch said.

"What do you mean new member Hotch?" Morgan asked.

"She's joining us for a trial run. See how well she does in the field if she works out she'll be joining our team permanently." Hotch explained. "She got a name?" Morgan asked.

"That I wasn't told." Hotch told them.

"We'll it can't be that bad she could turn out to be pretty cool." Reid smiled. "Remember Pretty Boy no flirting with our co-workers." Morgan teased. "I'm not thinking like that." Reid blushed.

"That's enough children." Rossi smiled as he reentered his office.

.::*::.

The next morning the new agent walked into the Bullpen. She was tall with slim built and cold blue eyes. Her skin was a bit pale. She wore a wine red blouse with a black vest over it. The black pants she wore hugged her hips and thighs ever so slightly. Her hair was red and pulled up into a messy bun. Her lips stood out just a bit full and a deep pink.

"Good Morning." Hotch said coming out of his office. "Sir." The redhead turned to Hotch. "I'm Reilly Mercer. Most just call me Rem." Reilly shacked the man's hand. Hotch turned the woman's hand over and looked at the strange markings. "I was at a wedding this past Saturday to a dear friend she's Asian-Indian. It's henna it'll disappear in a few days." Reilly explained.

"No it's fine. You wouldn't be the only one on the team with tattoos. I'm SSA Aaron Hotchner unit chief." Hotch said. "Derek Morgan, Nice to meet you." Reilly shook Morgan's hand.

"I'm Emily Prentiss. Welcome to the BAU. What did you do before you came here?"

"Forensic science. I worked in the crime lab for the most part." She shared.

"Jennifer Jareau Liaison call me JJ. Welcome." The blonde smiled.

"I'm—"

"David Rossi. Sorry to tell you that your reputation precedes you and my mother has read your books. She's tried during my entire course of training to scare me out of it." Reilly smiled.

"I'm Penelope Garcia you can call me Garcia, tech analyst welcome to the team." Garcia smiled.

"So you've been cleared to carry your gun?" Hotch asked. "Yes Sir. I know how to use it, fire it and reload it." Reilly said. "Right. I want you to get a go bag together tonight. A weeks worth of clothes should do. I want you here bright and early in the morning. Ready for anything." Hotch said.

"Right."

"Your desk is over there. Get settled in and welcome to the BAU." Hotch said.

Morgan sat at his desk for a few minutes wondering why Reilly was called Rem. "So where did you get the nickname from?" Morgan asked.

"My middle name. My father always felt the need to be different and call me Rei." Reilly smiled. "What's your middle name?" Emily asked. "That I will not indulge you with that answer." Reilly smiled. At the end of the work day and everyone was leaving Reilly left to her own apartment. It was early December and the snow had covered the city lightly.

Reilly packed a bag for a week and threw it into her car's trunk. Reilly ate dinner and watched TV a bit before going to bed. The next morning she was up early and had breakfast before walking out the door. Reilly walked into the bullpen ready to get to work. A few of the others had already shown up.

It was not long after lunch when JJ called everyone into the conference room for a case. "Everyone grab you bags so we can head out." Hotch said. "Garcia we'll call you when we get there?" Hotch nodded as everyone grabbed there bags and headed out.

As they reached the airport Reilly grew visibly paler as she saw that JJ, Emily and David were already boarding the plane. "You okay?" Morgan asked as Reilly hesitated at the steps of the aircraft. Reilly put on a brave face and closed her eyes as she took a seat in the far corner and closed the window and pulled the shade down next to her.

"Reilly you alright?" Reid asked touching the woman's shoulder.

Reilly who had been trying to keep her nerves under control flinched away from the genius's touch. "No I'm not I'm terrified of heights. If I would have known we'd be flying to every case I would have reconsidered the idea." Reilly rambled off.

"The likeliness of crashing is-" Reid rambled off the statistics of crashing and death making Reilly look at him with a whole new depth of her phobia. Emily smacked Reid in the back of the head and gave him a scolding look. Reilly continued to sit in the same position the entire trip with her eyes closed and her fingers on her temples trying to trick her mind into another place.

When the door opened Reilly was the first one off the plane and into an SUV ready to go. For a few minutes they drove in silence. "So why haven't you concurred your fear?" Rossi asked. "I've always been afraid pf heights and flying. I avoided roller coasters as a child and have yet to experience the thrill of one."

"But you still never concurred your fear."

"Shut up Reid your still afraid of the dark. Why didn't you concur that fear?" Morgan asked.

Nothing else was said on the matter as they went about getting to the police department. They had all the facts and had questioned the victim's families. "He's modeling them to look like his wife." Reilly said.

"What?"

"I got a similar case four years ago. A man killed three woman before he got caught. He would kidnap woman between the ages of forty and forty-five and to make them look like his mother keep the bodies for a few days then dump them. But when we found the bodies they were always bruised and beaten post mordum. He was beating them because his mother had been abusive but he never had the chance to take it back out on her so he went after woman who looked much like his own mother." Reilly explained.

"We did have one such case a few years ago. Only the man we were after use to embalm his victims after keeping them for a few days." Emily said.

The team was able to move from there and build a profile. The unsub slipped up and let someone see him causing the team to hone in on his location in a matter of hours. He was arrested and the team was going home. Emily drove to the airport this time. "Reilly drink this and calm your nerves." Rossi told her handing her the bottle of water he was about to drink.

Reilly downed the water and ten minutes later started to feel funny. Sleepy. Rossi had to guide Reilly up the stairs into the jet she was swaying on her feet so much. Rossi sat her on the couch. Reilly rubbed her face and shook her head trying to clear it. She was fighting it but losing. "Your tired kid you should take a nap we'll be off this jet and back home before you know it." Rossi told her.

Reilly fell to one side and let her self fall asleep. Dave was sure the woman was completely knocked out and so removed her shoes and put her feet on the couch as well before covering her with a blanket. The rest of the team gave the older profiler blank looks.

"What?"

"what did you give her?" hotch asked.

"what makes you think I gave her anything?" Dave framed innocents.

"Yeah and I'm a clown." Hotch said.

"It was only night quill. She'll sleep the next few hours it's better then having her freak out on the way home. No thanks to the genius over there who seemed to make things much better."

"I still don't see why it made it worse." Reid shrugged.

"Alright that's enough everyone. What's done is done." JJ said shaking her head. It was about six hours later when they were landing that Reilly was woken up. For the most part the medicine had worn off. But she was still not fit to drive. "Rossi's driving you home tonight."

"Why? I do have a car and I need my car to get to work. I can drive just fine." Reilly protested. "I'll swing by and pick you up tomorrow morning." Morgan stated.

"No I'm fine and you shouldn't need to go out of your way. I'll be fine I swear." Reilly protested. "I can drive my car home and I will see you all in the morning." Reilly said going to her own vehicle.

Reilly walked into the office the next morning bright and early ready for work. "See what did I tell you. I would make it in by myself." Reilly said. "Well last night everyone really wanted to get home after that case but tonight we're heading out to a bar for drinks. Want to join us?" Emily asked.

"No, thanks. I've got some stuff I need to do at home." That's where it started. Reilly worked with them but she didn't feel like a complete member of the team. They were a unit, and family of sorts she was just really some outsider looking in.

.::*::.

Reilly didn't like an empty house. So when they had the weekend off she left her house in search of a friend to keep her company. Adoption days at pet smart were always the best days. A little friend she could sit with. One that she didn't have to worry about constantly. A cat would suit her perfectly.

They were easy to care for and rather affectionate without jumping all over you and leaving paw prints on your clothing. You didn't have to worry about pet stains. What was it her brother had said about cats and dogs?

Dogs: he feeds me, plays with me and baths me. He must be god. Cats: he feeds me, plays with me, and baths me. I must be god.

Reilly still said that cats were easier to care for. They were quiet and great cuddlers.

"Mew." The tiny black kitten pawed at her through the cage.

"Aren't you the cutest thing I've ever seen. Says you're a little girl and a Turkish angora." Reilly smiled and opened the cage door taking the tiny kitten into her hands. You'll be coming home with me my dear." Reilly started looking around for things she would need for her new little pet.

When she finally came down to the collar making machine she stopped. "What do we name you? Not midnight you will be far to elegant for such a name in the future. How about Duchess. I think it'll suit you very well in the future." She printed the name tag and walked over to the counter to check out.

"So this is where you got off to." She heard a voice say. Turning around she saw Morgan standing there with a bag of dog food in his hands.

"I came to adopt a furry friend. "Morgan meet Duchess." She held the tiny kitten out to him. "Cute."

"Ma'am your things." Reilly paid and took hold of her bags before moving over to a bench. "We'll have to keep you in my pocket in the mean time. Try not to going in there okay." Reilly waved to Morgan and left bags in hand.


	2. christmas party

"Two weeks!" Reilly exclaimed.

"Yup two weeks of no on call and pure freedom. You can go on a nice vacation catch up on your sleep and all." Morgan smiled.

"Two weeks I have with Jack." Hotch smiled thinking go his son. "No one call me I'll see you in two weeks." He said walking out the door.

"A bloody fortnight alone. Perfect." Reilly grumbled to herself as she went home to her empty apartment. She refused to go home for the holidays. It wasn't like it used to be. When her brother had once been home to enjoy them and her sister still had a clear mind.

Three days later the phone started to ring. Morgan said no on call.

"Hello?"

"I'm sorry Sweetie did I wake you?" it was Garcia. "What do you need Garcia?" Reilly asked. "Well we're getting together at Morgan's place for dinner tomorrow night. Everyone brings a dish and we chill around for a little bit." Garcia said.

"Garcia It's not really my place to come. That's your family I'm more like the annoying cousin no one ever wants to see. I'll see you when we get back to work. Have fun tomorrow." Before Garcia could reply the natural redhead hung up.

Garcia called the rest of the team and told them half an hour later Garcia got a phone call. "Aright I'll be there. Just don't let them kidnap me. What is the address? What time?" She asked. Garcia gave her the information and smiled with glee. Reilly was forced to get up and go shopping so she could cook. She didn't eat much the last few days because she'd been sleeping on and off and eating take out.

When she sat in the kitchen cooking food for the dinner Duchess walked in and sat on the bar stool watching her. "I don't even know why these people want me there. I'm not part of their little family. They barely know me." Reilly said. Duchess mewed and her. Reilly grinned and slipped the black feline a bit of cooked ground beef.

This was going to be one hell of a night.

"Where is she?" Emily asked looking out of Morgan's window. It was snowing and beginning to pick up rather quickly. They were getting worried Reilly should have arrived at Morgan's half an hour ago. Emily turned away from the window and went to get her coat from the closet. "I'm going to go look for her. Who's coming?" There was a loud knocking at the door.

Morgan was the first to reach it and let the drenched redhead in. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Hi." Reilly said coming in. Reid went forward and took hold of the two heavy-duty foil pans she had in her arms. "Sorry. Hi."

"Sweetie what happened, Emily and I were about to go look for you?" Garcia asked. "I got a flat tire after hitting a patch of freaking Ice. I have to change the damn thing." Reilly was wet from the ankle to mid-thigh. Reilly was pale and shivering and her hair was wet.

"Why didn't you just call someone?" Hotch asked. "Didn't want to drag anyone else out into the cold." Reilly said with ease. "Here dry off." Rossi came back with a towel and handed it to the redhead. "We look out for each other and that means you too. If you need help call one of us and we'll be right there." Morgan told her. The others were all in agreement.

"Here wait here and I'll get you a change of clothes." Morgan told her.

"No. I'll be fine in what I have. Just put me near the heater." She stated. Morgan realized he wasn't going to win against the woman. "Right lets get this dinner started." JJ said. Everyone got settled at the dinning room table the food was spread out on the table.

"Alright I'll start I guess. I made my mom's triple chunk chocolate cake." Morgan smiled. "Told you he was a chocolate god." Garcia laughed.

"I made pot roast. Don't know how to make much else." Reid stated. "That's why you're so damn thin." Dave chuckled ruffling the man's brown locks.

"I made ham and boiled carrots." JJ smiled.

"I made deep dish apple pie and lasagna." Reilly said. "Oh apple pie." Emily smiled.

"Garlic bread made from scratch. My Mama's recipe." Dave grinned.

"I made pasta salad." Hotch said.

"I made Mac and cheese." Garcia shrugged.

"I made my garlic chicken that everyone seems to devour and string beans." Emily chuckled.

"Alright now lets pass out the food I'm starving." Reid said reaching for a spoon.

Garcia reached over and smacked his hand. "Not just yet. We have to say prayer and you know it." She scolded. Everyone bowed his or her heads and Morgan led the prayer. "God is good and God is great and we thank you for this food. His hands feed us so thank you for this daily bread. Thank you for seeing us to another year and for getting Reilly here safely. Please see us thought another year so that we may sit here again next year. Amen."

"Amen." Everyone said.

"No you can have some ham." Garcia said passing the plate to Reid. "I have one rule for tonight." Garcia said standing up. "It's nicknames and first names tonight." She said. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"So Rem what's the E in that for?" Emily smiled at the woman. Reilly swallowed her food. "It's my middle name. It starts with an E. That's all you need to know." Reilly smiled. "What's your middle name Emily?"

"That's classified." JJ and Garcia broke into fits of laughter. The night in the bar where they had met Brad the 'FBI agent'. "Well I'm going to guess your name." Reid smiled at her.

"Your pushing you luck Spencer."

"I don't see how what's so wrong about your middle name?" Hotch asked.

"What is it something out land-ish?" Morgan asked.

"You know what Morgan what's your middle name?" Reilly cocked a brow waiting for her answer. "Robert. After my father." He smiled. Hotch and Rossi chuckled as they watched the team banter lightly over dinner.

"It's Ella." Garcia guessed. A shake of the head.

"It's Emily." Reid smiled.

"Ester." Hotch shrugged.

"Elizabeth. Edith. Elisa." Dave said. "No, no and no."

"Oh come on." JJ laughed. "Sorry no can do." Reilly smiled.

"Esmarelda." Morgan called out.

"Nope."

They gave up after three more names and soon moved onto desert. Everyone had finally gotten up from the table and moved into the living room. Morgan turned on the TV and switched on the news real quick.

"We advise that everyone stay inside and wait this one out. There have been four accidents already and it's going to get worse from here." The woman said. "Well we're buckling down for the night." Morgan said. "Oh my God." Reid jumped up from his seat before he had sat completely down.

"What is wrong with you?" Reilly asked. "Your not cold?" He asked.

"What are you carrying on about Reid?" Hotch asked.

"I'm not the one who feels like they've been dead so hours."

"Get over it twiggy. Sit your skinny butt down." The mater was left alone the team went on to pick a movie. They finally settled on Max Payne. Hotch got up to go use the bathroom when at the same time the lights went out and he tripped over Emily.

"Sugar."

"Hotch you alright?" Dave asked. "Looks like the weather finally got to the power lines."

"Ow, Reid you're stepping on me." Reilly said.

"Wait just everyone stop moving cause it's going to get a bit cold in here. Now I have a few candles and a flashlight or two around here so in the next few minutes we can get the room lit up and everyone will be able to see." Morgan stated.

"I have a flashlight and a box of candles in my car we can use." Reilly said getting up. "No way in hell is you going back out into the cold. You're gonna get sick if you do." JJ told her. "I'll be fine." Reilly found her boots and pulled them on then moved to get her still soaking wet coat.

"Damn."

"What's wrong kiddo?" Rossi asked. "My coat is still wet."

"Take mine." he offered. "No need." Reilly opened the door and saw the blizzard that was taking place. "We'll be trapped for days." Garcia dramatized. "If we run out of food we start by eating Reid." Rossi added to the joke. Reilly stepped out into the cold and managed to get into her trunk. Coming back with a box of candles she had bought for her own home.

Half an hour later everyone was settled in the living room under blankets and every pillow that could be found in the house.

"Reid I'll tell you why I'm scared of heights when you tell me why you still fear the dark. At least mine is legit and besides since joining the team I don't freak out as much." Reilly said.

"No you just keep quiet and try not to move." Morgan said.

"I fear the dark because of the apparent absence of light. There your tale about the dark." Reid said sitting back.

"You are the worst that doesn't count as a answer so I'm not telling. I'd rather share my middle name. No don't get happy cause I wouldn't indulge you with such information." Reilly smiled.

"Okay lay off my redheaded beauty." Garcia defended Reilly.

"Okay craziest thing or stupidest thing you ever did a s teenager." Emily said.

"I snuck out and went to a party and got a little drunk so I walked all the way back home and couldn't get back in. It tried the window but I was confused thinking it was Desi's room and climbed through the window of my mom's room. She grounded me for the next three months. My sisters didn't have to do a thing but keep their rooms clean." Morgan laughed.

"I tried to learn how to ride a bike that didn't turn out so well. I got the worst bit of scaring ever. The hair won't grow on that part of my legs still." Spencer laughed.

"My friend and I told our parents we were going to be going on a road trip for two weeks. But we really went to New York to live on the streets. We slept on side walks barely ate and it was hotter then hell. We made it up to the last day and we had made 1200 bucks just by singing and playing on street corners and in the parks. So Melody calls her brother and tells him to come pick us up because we were far too tired but her father shows up with my parents with her. When they tried to yell at us we stopped them. We were fully legal they couldn't say anything about it. But we were driving their cars so we lost out on that one." Reilly said.

"I followed the Rat pack for about a month with a few friends." Dave said. "Yeah and I'm pretty sure the glory days were all well and good old timer." Morgan laughed. "Very funny Morgan."

The jokes continued until well after midnight. The team finally called it in when they noticed that Reid had passed out using Clooney for a pillow. The rest of the team called it quits. JJ was curled in the loveseat at one end with Garcia on the couch. Emily had the armchair and Reilly took a spot behind the couch.

"Get back around here you'll freeze behind the couch." Hotch told her. "I don't care I'm tired." She groaned. She was suddenly picked up by Morgan and carried to the other side.

"You know what?" Morgan put the woman down. "You four could fit in my bed. It's a king size so you'll all fit. The four of us will fit on the floor. We can use the fire place in there and get the room nice and warm and keep it there."

"Good Idea now." Dave looked at him.

"Get over it. Let's go." Emily told them.

"What about Reid?" Reilly asked pointing to Reid who was still using the golden retriever as a pillow.

"Quick go set up a pallet for him on the floor. Hotch grab his shoulders." Morgan said reaching for the man's ankles. Reilly dashed into the room with two blankets and ran for Morgan's room to lay them out on the floor for Reid. They let the genius sleep on the floor.

"Bed time." Garcia climbed into the bed followed by Emily and JJ. Reilly threw herself into a spot on the floor pulling the covers up to her neck while she watched Hotch and Rossi start the fire.

"Reilly get in the bed." Rossi said looking at the redhead.

"I'm fine where I am." She protested.

"Fire top get in the bed there's plenty of room for you to fit." Morgan told her.

"Get in the bed that's an order." Hotch said.

"Fine." Reilly groaned. She was tired and still cold. "Come on and you can sleep all you want." JJ told her moving over. Reilly turned to her side and fell asleep within a few minutes. The fire was started and warming up the room. Hotch, Rossi and Morgan got settled and quickly went to sleep.

Reid was the first one up the next morning. He tried to go back to sleep but his bladder had other ideas for him. If only he could have made it to the bathroom. He tripped over Hotch's ankle and fell onto Morgan.

"Ow. What the hell are you doing?" The dark skinned man sat up.

"What's all the noise?" Emily sat up in the bed. Garcia pulled the blanket back over her face. "It's to early." She grumbled.

"Go back to bed." Rossi grumbled turning over.

Five minutes later everyone was awake and waiting to use the bathroom. "The power still isn't back up and I think we should stay in the house." Rossi said putting his hands to his lower back and working the soreness out of it. "I'm to old for sleepovers." He sighed.

"Your middle name is Eddie." Morgan said around his toothbrush.

"No. Just stop trying to guess. Why is my middle name so important to you?" Reilly asked.

"Because we want to know because it's part of your nickname." Reid said.

"You get three more guesses." Reilly smiled.

"Eve?" a shake of the head.

"Electra." another shake.

"Eva?" one last shake.

"My name is Reilly Elisabeta Mercer. Rem for short." Reilly smiled.

"That is an odd name. What is it?" Rossi asked. "Romanian. I like my middle name because many people don't ask for it. Besides people continually get it wrong. They say Elizabeth." Reilly told them.

"Welcome to the family kiddo." Rossi told her. "Same here." Hotch grinned. "You are now part of my top eight." Garcia smiled at her. "You're joining us for the next girls night out." Emily smiled. JJ, Morgan and Reid said something too. Along the lines of her being accepted into the small family.

"Reid go into the kitchen I got to let Clooney out." Morgan said. The golden ball of fur moved around everyone and couldn't get out the door fast enough. Out side was now a total winter wonderland. Clooney ran around the yard chasing after Morgan. "Looks like fun." Garcia called.

"Come on it's great." Morgan called. Everyone started grabbing coats, hats, gloves, scarves and boots. "It's cold." Reid complained.

"That's why it's called snow." Rossi told him. Rossi felt something hit him in the back of his head. Hotch smiled at him. "That's the game you want to play?" Rossi asked. Rossi grabbed a handful of snow and threw it at him.

"Hey watch it." Emily said whipping her cheek free of the snow. She and Garcia were building a snowman. "Hey." JJ shouted as snow was thrown at her. Reilly smiled. "You don't want to get into it with me." JJ warned. "Wanna bet?" Reilly challenged. "Your on." A snowball fight turned into an all out war.

Which wasn't a good thing. Everyone was wet and had nothing to change into. "I'm going home. I need a hot bath and clean clothes." Emily stated. "Same here." Hotch agreed. "Had fun but I'm going home." Reilly shivered as she walked back outside. Emily, Hotch and Reid were behind her.

"I think it might snow again." Rossi said. "Eh I think I'll survive it." Emily smiled. "Help me push my car out." Emily called. "Just dig it out a bit more." Morgan stated. "I'll get the shovels." Rossi said. It two hours they had everyone dug out enough to get them on their way. "Next year we're at Rossi's place." Garcia called.

"No. Hotch's" Rossi called. "Go home." Hotch called out over everyone's voices. "See you at the BAU." Reid called.

"Happy new year." Reilly called. They weren't so bad. She could work with them and live with it. They were good friends. Little nutty but good friends.

A/N: second chapter. Hope you like. Review please and I'll post again soon.


	3. spring time

Spring came about in a cloud of offending pollen from the insufferable flowers and newly cut grass outside of the BAU and what was worse the team was being subjected to by annual blood work. So everyone was getting poked with needles and having blood drawn.

The fearless leader went first. Reid tried to keep himself from having a panic attack at the sight of the needle entering his arm. Morgan stuck by him the whole time.

Garcia and Emily were taken care of easily as was Rossi. JJ smiled she had a little boy at home. Once you give birth there is no other pain that can compare to it. Reilly was the last to go and had extra blood taken because the nurse messed up and dropped two vials on the floor. So they took another two from her to replace them.

"So now that are we gonna do. It's Friday and we don't have case?" Morgan asked. "What's all this talk about we? I am going the hell home to avoid the rest of the world." Reilly said. "We could go out for beers tonight." Emily suggested.

"Karaoke." Garcia bounced.

"I'm going home." Reilly grabbed her bag and started for the door when Hotch grabbed her sleeve.

"I don't think so. If I can't get out of it neither can you." Hotch told her.

"Watch me." Reilly pulled on her coat and walked out the glass door throwing her bag over her shoulder.

"Chocolate god of Thunder you know what to do." Garcia nodded to Morgan. Morgan dashed out the door and came back two minutes later with a redhead draped over his shoulder.

"You know I have things I like to do at home. I have a cat that needs feeding and laundry that needs doing." She protested.

"You always separate yourself from us. We're a family and families hang out together. You can have a few drinks and sing a song or two then I promise you can leave." Garcia told her.

"Fine. But I want to be back on my feet right now." Morgan set her down. Reilly reached for her messy bun and pulled the hair tie away letting red locks fall down over her shoulders to mid-back. "Lets hit it." Garcia said taking Reilly by her arm and leading everyone out the door to the bar.

An hour later and everyone had loosened up. Giggling and enjoying themselves. "Drink, drink, drink, drink, drink." The table chanted.

"Morgan wins, JJ you sing." JJ walked up to the stage and selected her song and began to sing. She had half the woman and men for that matter singing along with her.

"Hey, how long till the music drowns you out?

Don't put words up in my mouth,

I didn't steal your boyfriend,

Hey, how long till you face what's goin' on,

Cause you really got it wrong,

I didn't steal your boyfriend."

"Okay I'm glad I came out tonight. This is fun." Reilly smiled as she picked up her beer. "Reilly you gotta drink against Reid." JJ told her. The loser got to pick the next set to drink against each other.

"Cheers Reid." Reilly said as they picked up the glasses and began to chug them down. Reid put his glass down first.

"Sorry pretty lady you lose." Reilly walked up tot the stage and smiled as she selected her song.

"You hit me once

I hit you back

You gave a kick

I gave a slap

You smashed a plate

Over my head

Then I set fire to our bed"

When she came back to her comrades they looked at her. "I knew there was a hidden violent side to you." Morgan told her. "Whatever Morgan. I'm going to wait another hour then I'm heading home." Reilly told them. When that hour was up Reilly walked took her car and went home for the evening only to get a phone call asking if she had made it back all right. So the people she worked with did care.

.::*::.

Reilly sat at home in her spare room. Duchess was sitting the window sleeping. Her black tail, which had grown as she had since she was adopted, dangled over the side the end twitching back and forth. Her phone began to ring.

"Crap." She whipped her hands as best she could and went to go answer it not realizing she whipped a bit of it onto her face without knowing.

"Hello?"

"Finally. I sent you four messages. We have a case. Get to Quantico ASAP." JJ told her. Reilly threw her project back into the bin so it wouldn't dry out and put out enough food and water for Duchess before dashing out the front door.

Reilly dashed into the building and got to the pull pen and ran into the conference room. "Sorry I'm late didn't hear my cell go off." she said sitting down.

Everyone gave her a strange look. "Why are you watching me like I've grown three heads?" she asked. "Because you have red stuff on your face." Garcia pointed out. Reilly touched her cheek and scratched it away. "We can stop staring now." Reilly told them. JJ went on with the briefing. The team boarded the jet and Morgan sat across from Reilly looking at her.

"Stop staring at me like that." Reilly told him. "What was that stuff on your face that's all I want to know." He said.

"My hobby. I do have things to do in my free time. Which you all seem intent on depriving me of." Reilly told him.

"Morgan just give up your gonna lose." Rossi told him. When they arrived in Ocean City Hotch sent everyone out to look at crime scenes or question families and possible witnesses. "Four kids and now we get the call. What were you waiting for a van to show up and kids just start walking off?" Reilly ranted to herself. Hotch would kill her if she said that out loud.

"The guy won't talk." Rossi said.

"Let me talk to him." Reilly volunteered. "Hotch please. Let me try. I promise you by the time I'm done with him he'll be singing like a canary." Reilly told him.

"Fine." Hotch told him. "All right give me a few minutes. I'll be right back." Reilly left and came back five minutes later. Reilly nodded to Hotch and Rossi before stepping into the room. The man looked up.

"They sent some rookie in for me now? I still won't talk." He spat.

"We'll just have to change that won't we?" Reilly dropped the folder on the table and sat down. She brought it into her lap and pulled a picture from it. "Think is Gavin Vandam when he got to prison. This was he after they learned what he did to a four little boys and this is what he looks like after. Reilly told him dropping the third picture on the desk.

Vince Clearwater looked at her. "It ain't got nothing to do with me."

"This is Tom Harris when he got to prison. This is him when they found out what he had done. Now he doesn't even look the same." Reilly dropped the third picture in the set down." Vince had a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. On the other side of the mirror Rossi and Hotch watched.

"She's building up to it. She's breaking him down slowly." Rossi said.

"This if Harry Kelton. He rapped his son. His son. When he got to prison his first night there they made sure he could never do anything so disgusting again. This is what he looked like when they found him. Bleeding, bruised and missing his manhood—"

"No more please. No more stop." Vince said.

"This is what's going to happen to you when they get you into the state prison. NJ prisoners may have committed crimes but they have children and when they get someone like you in there they will make sure you never think about doing something like this ever again. They watch the news and your face is all over it." Reilly said.

"I'll talk. I will just don't send me there please." The man begged. "Tell me everything and maybe I'll strike up a deal with you." Reilly said. Rossi and Hotch listened as the man told her every last detail of what he had done and where to go and how long she had before they found another dead body. When she stepped out of the room Rossi looked at her as did Hotch.

"We'll be sending you in more often if that's what you can pull." Rossi told her. The team found the little boy in time. A few cuts and bruises and a scared memory but he had his life. With some love and care he would be fine.

Back at the station an officer came to get Clearwater. "She said you wouldn't send me to New Jersey State. She promised. Tell them you promised I wouldn't get sent to New Jersey State." He said.

"I don't know what he's talking about." She said.

On the jet home Reilly sat talking with Morgan as she, him and Reid played cards. "The stuff on my face was clay. I do ceramics at home in my free time. I have a kiln in my basement. My house is littered with vases and other little weird creations and such." Reilly said. Helps pass the time when I'm bored." She smiled.

"That's new. Reid does nothing but watch Star trek." Morgan laughed.

"I may watch Star trek Morgan but I win." Reid said throwing his hand on the table.

"Damn it." Morgan and Reilly said in unison. They could hear light snickers from the others.

.::*::.

Summer came in hot and heavy. The team wouldn't be going to work until they could fix the AC in the building because two people had already passed out from the heat inside the building.

"You know since it's still early how about we go to the beach?" Emily suggested.

"I like that idea. A day in the sun I wouldn't mind." Morgan thought. "I'll go. Jessica has Jack this week anyway." Hotch said.

Everyone else agreed that they wanted to go and would meet back up at the BAU parking lot in one hour. Reilly was the first to arrive and got into an SUV to enjoy the cool air in it because her own was on the frits. As the others came they climbed into the truck and they soon set out on their road trip.

"Sun, sand and surf." Garcia smiled as she collected her things from the back of the automobile. "Aren't you going to change?" Reid asked Reilly who stood holding the cooler. "Yeah I'll change when we get set up. I've got my eye on a nice spot near the water what far enough to be comfortable." She said.

"When everyone was ready they started for the spot Reilly had picked out for them and got set up. Hotch and Rossi were going to take the first watch of the cooler and their things while everyone else went to go play in the water. Morgan was reaching into the cooler for a bottle of water when Reilly pulled off her t-shirt.

"Whoa. Someone's got ink." He smirked.

"Yup. And I'm proud of every last one." Reilly said proudly as she rid herself of her shorts and Morgan saw the scorpion on her calf. "So you're a Scorpio." Rossi stated.

"How many tattoos do you have?" Morgan asked. She began to tick them off on her fingers. "My scorpion, the flowers on my back, the 13 on my chest, a hibiscus flower on my hip, my two arm bands, and my three inscriptions. That makes nine." Reilly smiled.

"What do the inscriptions say?" Rossi asked. "Read them for yourself old man." Reilly told him. "I don't have my classes." He said. "Sucks to be you." Reilly told him.

"To the praying mother and the worried father let your children go. If they come back they'll come home stronger and if they don't you'll know." Morgan read.

"What's that mean?" Hotch asked. "Nothing Hotch. Heard it in a song put it on my hip because I liked it." Reilly said. Emily was walking back up looking a bit sour faced. "I swallowed salt water." She continued to frown.

"Wow someone's colorful." She commented after taking a sip of her water.

"Killing ourselves a kiss at a time. Devils dance while angels smile." Morgan read.

"Let me guess it means nothing?" Rossi asked. Reilly nodded.

"Wait what does that say?" Emily asked getting up to read the last one. "It's when heaven turns to black and hell to white. Right so wrong and wrong so right." She read.

"You done? I'm not a book and I want to go for a swim. See you in a bit." Reilly dashed off for the water not looking back at the small group still sitting by the cooler. Reilly waded into the water and sank below the surface to swim around a bit. When she stood up she was facing the shoreline. The water was up to he chest and she was standing flat on her feet and decided to go back to the shore to get something to eat.

Reilly, JJ and Reid never thought to look behind them when a large waved built up and came rushing to the shore knocking them off their feet. They were separated and wound up closer to the shore then they wanted. Choking and gasping for air. "That was fun. I wanna do that again." Reilly smiled and JJ followed. 

Reid had enough and went to sit down with the others. "They went to go play with the waves a bit more. Said something about a wicked wet roller coaster without the line." Reid said grabbing a bottle of water to wash his mouth out.

"Morgan started laughing and went back to digging his shallow body length hole. "What are you doing?" Reid asked.

"Playing a prank of Reilly. See I dig this whole and lay in it. Baby Girl here will cover my body with the sand and as much of my face without covering my eyes, nose and mouth then she puts Reilly's towel over it and we wait till she comes back to lay down and I scare her then." Morgan smiled.

"Better hurry they'll be back soon." Garcia said.

A few moments later Morgan lay down in the hole and Garcia covered him in sand and placed the beach towel over him. Twenty minutes later Reilly and JJ came back. "You guys have got to try it. It's the best fun ever." JJ laughed. Really went over to the cooler grabbed a soda then went over to her towel. Setting the soda in the sand. When she had laid down Morgan suddenly wrapped his arms around her making Reilly scream out with terror.

The others began to laugh and Reilly kicked Morgan in the shin. "You guys suck." Reilly told them shaking her head. Payback came to Morgan in the form of a little crab dropped down the back of his shorts. When it finally feels out Reilly saved it and showed it to Morgan. "Cute little guy." Reilly smiled at the crab as she went to take him back to where she had found him to begin with.

There were a few more waves and a few failed sand castles. The sun was setting before the team packed it in and began to head home. They watched the sun sink into the sea and a bright and beautiful waning crescent hang in the sky.

"We have got to do this again." Garcia said.

"No doubt. This was fun." Emily smiled. The team was heading back to the SUV. "No it wasn't." Hotch said with a wince. He had sunburn on his back after falling asleep on his towel. "You guys head back I'll see you in a few minutes." Reilly grabbed JJ and the two ran off somewhere together.

Ten minutes later they appeared at the SUVs Reilly carrying a plant. "You bought a plant." Morgan questioned.

"It'll help with the sun burn. Hotch turn around and bare with me." Reilly said breaking a leaf of the aloe plant off and squeezing it to put the sap on Hotch's skin. "That's much better. Thanks." He told her.

"Alright can we go home? We do still have work tomorrow." Reid said.

"Alright. Morgan can drive. I'm tired." Rossi said tossing Morgan the key. By the time they got back to Quantico most of the team had fallen asleep. Rossi and Hotch looked at the team members and smiled. "Some times I feel like a parent when it comes to them." Hotch laughed.

"So what that makes me grandpa?" Rossi looked at his friend. Hotch gave him a look that said 'don't give me any ideas'.


	4. Chapter 4

"We're headed to Pittsburgh PA." Hotch said when the team entered the conference room. "Four fourteen year old girls have all turned up dead. None of them were raped or sexually abused in anyway. But they were beaten. Each had the same physical appearance. Brown hair, blue eyes, petit, and all play soccer at whatever school they went to." JJ said.

"Girls fourteen and all with the same appearance." Morgan said.

"If they don't have the right length of hair he cuts it." Reilly said. "What?" Emily said. "Look at the third girl reported missing her picture was taken a week before she was kidnapped. The man cut her hair." Reilly pointed out.

"We'll start with the company the school hires to take the pictures. The dates are all placed a week behind each other. The girls are kidnapped the next day. Rossi and Reilly you go to the company. Reid and Emily will question the latest family. Wheels up in half an hour." Hotch said.

When they landed everyone went off to their assignments. "You're pretty quiet over there Reilly you all right?" Rossi asked. Reilly nodded. "I'm fine." Reilly said.

When they stepped into the building they went up to the front desk. The woman behind it looked a bit fearful at the way Rossi and Reilly walked in. "How may I help you?" How tried not to stutter."

"Okay take a deep breath. We're not here to arrest you or anything. Unless you did something wrong that is." Reilly gave her a tantalizing smirk. "I smoked a bit of pot that's it I swear. Please don't tell my supervisor I really need this job." She said.

"Calm down we're not here for that. We just want to know the names of the photographers who were dispatched to these four high schools." Rossi said handing her a list. "Is this about those girls who went missing?" she asked. "Yes and you could be the reason a girl gets to go home again." Reilly told her.

"These are the names." She handed her the list. "Thank you." They left. "You didn't have to do that to her." Rossi said. "No one told her to smoke the pot. She's the one with the guilty look on her face." Reilly laughed and suddenly winced. "Just send the list to Garcia and get in the car." Rossi said shaking his head.

The team spent the day questioning families when another body showed up and another had gone missing from the first school. The team had to call it a night and stop to eat something. Carrying on from the day before on nothing but coffee and a donut here or there. Stomachs growled.

"Come on let's grab a bit to eat." JJ said and they headed to the nearest pizza shop they could find. Reilly took a slice for herself and frowned when she went to take a bite. "Hey Reid put some meat on your bones." She said dropping the slice on his plate.

"But you have to eat something." Hotch told her.

"I'm not hungry. Budge up." Reilly said looking at JJ and Rossi. Reilly abdomen hurt a bit. Eating would only make it worse of it. The next morning Garcia called with a bit of shocking news.

"Our unsub is a woman. It's the only name of this list that isn't straight. She quit after the cops came to her job after the first girl went missing. Turns out Beatrice Towner isn't her real name it's Harriet Newman." Garcia informed them.

"Thank you Garcia." Hotch said. "You my fine feathered friends are welcome." She chuckled before hanging up. "Lets give the profile." Hotch said. Reilly went to stand up and her head swam in the wave of dizziness.

"Okay you stay here we'll give the profile and I'll be right back." Morgan said walking out of the room.

"No I'm fine." Reilly waved her hand in dismissive gesture.

"No you're staying here. For a bit. You didn't eat last night and I know you didn't eat lunch yesterday you need to eat something. Wait here." Hotch told her. Morgan came back with two donuts and a bit of orange juice for the sugar. Reilly didn't want to eat it but she had no other choice. Reilly felt a wave of nausea and rushed for the nearest bathroom. The pain in her stomach was a bit worse and her face a little flushed. "You okay?" JJ asked. "Fine it's a bit warm in here. Hate the city in August."

"We're dealing with a woman who has lost her own daughter in much the same way she is killing the victims. She keeps them for only a week. Her resent job was providing her with Targets for her next victims. She won't come out in the open where we can see her." Hotch told them.

"She knows how to hide because she has a number of names to use to her advantage. Her real name is Harriet Newman. We have to track her down. This is what she knows. Hiding is what she does best and she will not give up a hiding spot so easily." Hotch told them. The pain slowly got worse and Reilly felt hot even though they were under the fans.

"Hey we just got a call from dispatch saying they saw a woman enter a house that has been closed up for a number of years. A drugs bust took place there bout ten years ago. Once drugs have been involved city boards it up." The man said. "Right then that's where we're headed.

"Reilly you okay?" Morgan asked. "I'm fine Morgan just a bit warm." He assured him as they suited up and headed out. The house was just as they had pictured it. On a run down side of town where the houses were small and the people weren't to kind to cops or even the FBI for that matter.

"Come out with your hands up we have the place surrounded." The man called over the loud speaker. The woman didn't appear for several minutes and when she did she had the girl in a headlock like hold with a gun pressed to her temple. "Let the girl go and drop the gun. Put your hands behind your head."

The girl was let go and Reilly moved forward to get her and take her to an EMT. Gunfire went off and the girl flinched elbowing Reilly in her throbbing side. She forced herself to stay up and take the girl to safety. Reilly leaned on a car and held her side and squeezed her eyes shut holding the tears of pain back.

"Reilly?" Hotch walked over to her.

"What hurts?" Hotch asked.

"Don't touch it. Don't." bit back the tears that wanted to form. Hotch picked her up and carried her to an SUV.

"Hotch what happened?" JJ asked as he walked past with Reilly in his arms.

"I don't know. But she's been acting strange for the last two days. I'm taking her to the hospital to get checked out." Hotch told her.

"Let the others know. I'll call you with the information." Hotch placed Reilly into the SUV and walked over to the drivers side and hopped in.

"Hold on just a bit longer." He told her. As he drove he could see Reilly curled up in pain in the back seat from the rearview mirror. When they arrived at the hospital Hotch carefully picked her up and carried her into the emergency room.

Reilly whine with pain, as she was set into a chair. "I need to see a doctor my co-worker is very ill and we don't know what the cause is." Hotch told the nurse at the desk.

"Sign these forms." She said handing Hotch a clipboard. Hotch's phone rang.

"Hotch is everything alright?" Reid was a doctor. Well he had the PhDs. "Reid we're at the hospital and I don't think Reilly can wait much longer." Hotch said.

"Okay what are her symptoms?" the man asked.

"She's got fever, loss of appetite, she was vomiting today, she's got her hand over one spot of her stomach like she's protecting it." Hotch told him.

"Give the phone to the nurse at the desk." Hotch did so and the nurse listened. She looked at Hotch then at the redhead curled up for dear life.

"Alright bring her this way." She handed Hotch the phone. A doctor came in a second later and examined Reilly. Every time he touched the area Reilly was protecting and removed his hands she would hiss in pain and curl away from him. "Well?"

"It's appendicitis. We need to get her ready for surgery you will have to wait in the waiting room Sir." Hotch was escorted back into the white walled waiting room to wait for both Reilly and the team.

Reilly felt groggy but a bit better. Where was she? Reilly suddenly remembered what had taken place and shot up in bed only to fall back clutching her bandage. "Hello, hello." Morgan appeared at her side. "Just lie down." He told her. When the sensation of it all finally subsided Reilly looked at Morgan, Emily and Hotch.

"What happened?"

"You had your appendix removed. It was a rather close call Ms. Mercer. About an hour later and you would be in far worse shape." The doctor said walking into the room.

"We're only keeping you over night. You came out of surgery two hours ago. Tomorrow you can go home and then stay out of work until the stitches fall out. You can contact your local doctor when you get home."

"Thank you doctor." Reilly told the man. She leaned back on her pillow and felt sleep working it's way into her system again.

"You okay?" Morgan asked. "Sleepy. Wake me when they say I can get out of here." Reilly told him.

"Next time if you not feeling well tell us. We care what happens to you." Hotch said. "No you don't you just don't want to fill out the paper work or deal with Strauss the dragon." Reilly yawned. "Go to sleep. We'll be right here." Emily told her.

Half an hour later the others came back. "Any change?" JJ asked.

"Just went back to sleep not long ago. She's coming home with us tomorrow but has to stay out of work till the stitches are gone." Hotch said.

Of course when the team got home Garcia made a fuss about Reilly not saying anything about her health and ignoring it. She was never going to hear the end of this.

When she finally got back to work for the first week the slightest sneeze had everyone on edge. "Look I sneezed I'm not going to die at any second." Reilly said. "Actually when you sneeze your heart stops." Rossi said.

"No help old man." She glared. "Well next time something is wrong with you tell us. We can't help otherwise." Hotch told her. "Fine."

Reilly kept her promise a month later when she had gone out on a date and JJ had asked her if anything was bothering her. "I think messed up this date."

"Well what happened?" JJ asked. "I went to the book store to find a book and I was browsing around for a bit when I met this guy in the romance section. We talked a bit he asked me out. While we were on the date He asked me about my favorite author. It's a bit of cliché if you will but it's Anne Rice. He didn't know who she was and asked for some of her work. Then he asked what her books were about and I think I told him such a great summery of her books there was no point in him reading them." Reilly said.

"You're an Anne Rice fan?" JJ smiled.

"Yes. I loved the vampire Lestat. The way she describes how he kills the wolves and the how Lestat became who he was a vampire." Reilly smiled.

"Yes. Anne Rice has such a way of describing everything you can picture it so well like the crypt where he found the other men who looked like him. The way put it together was amazing." JJ laughed.

"The Vampire Armand was good to. How he describes being taken from his home and how he forgets to paint. I wanted so badly to go and save him myself."

"I know. I went to the ball few years back. It was amazing. I had a great time." Reilly smiled.

"You got to go?" JJ asked Reilly nodded. "I still have the dress I wore and the pictures I got of the place and the people are amazing." Reilly smiled. "I wanna see pictures." JJ told her. "I'll try to find them."

"What were you talking about?" Rossi asked JJ as she walked back to her office. "Girl talk." JJ smiled. Five minutes later Strauss walked into the bullpen. Hotch who had been talking with Morgan about the recent case looked up. "I need to speak with your team." She said. "Morgan get Garcia please." Morgan went to get Garcia and they both came back and stood by the door.

"Right. Now we are being honored by the state for our work around the country. They're throwing a dinner for the whole BAU every team is invited to come. You should all check your mailboxes when you get home for the offical invite. She walked away. Everyone waited until she was out of earshot before they spoke again.

"I don't own a suit." Reid said.

"We'll get you one pretty boy." Morgan said.

"Now I have to wear a suit on what night have been my Saturday off. I was going to sit and watch movies with Jack." Hotch said. "I have the perfect dress to wear." Garcia smiled. "The last thing I want to do is wear a dress." Emily frowned. "Time to dig out my tux." Rossi grumbled to himself.

It was Thursday already. Why did they have to plan a dinner for Saturday? Wouldn't be all bad would it? When Saturday came around everyone was at home getting dressed and ready. The men were shaven neatly and hair was brushed or combed. Shirts were unwrinkled and ties were on correctly. Shoes polished and suits lint free.

The women of the team were a different story. Nails done hair pinned up or in a style. Make-up flawless and gowns fitting to form. Reilly walked into the hall. Her dress was a crimson color. It was a beautiful fit for her. It showed off the right amount of cleavage and her hair hung over her shoulder in long curls. "Champagne Miss?" The waiter asked.

"No, thank you." Reilly walked away. JJ was the next to show up wearing a navy blue gown that barely touched the floor. It was single shoulder and fit her well.

"Madam Red." A man said looking at Reilly and handing her a glass.

"I don't think so." Reilly walked away.

"So are you going to keep looking for us or would you like to be rescued now?" Reilly knew that voice. It was the lovely Garcia and her date Kevin.

Garcia wore a dress that complimented her shape and figure. It was of course the most colorful dress she could find. "Come on your coming with me." Garcia grabbed her arm and dragged her over to the team.

Whoa." Emily looked at Reilly shocked. Morgan smiled Reid and Hotch both had shocked looks on the faces. "Lady Crimson." Rossi said. "They called me that when I went to the Vampire ball in New Orleans a few years ago." Reilly smiled. "Well the title suits you." JJ said as she appeared.

"Wow. Well I must say you four ladies look gorgeous." A male walked over to them. Reilly turned away from him. "Shy?"

"Not interested and don't think I'm here with out my gun. I've got it and back up." Reilly smiled. "A woman with bite must be a force to be wreckoned with. Good evening." He nodded to the girls then to the guys before leaving. "You cannot be hiding a gun on that. There's no way you have a gun unless it-"

Reilly hiked up her skirts. "Strapped to my leg." Reilly smiled.

"Scary." Reid mumbled.

"You know Reid keeping gun on you is a pretty good thing sometimes. I know for a fact that when I was working in the crime lab back north my friend never went anywhere without his. If paid off when we found ourselves in a little deli trying to get lunch and a man came in wanting to rob the place. Was very glad Bobby kept his gun." Reilly chuckled.

"So his name is Bobby." Garcia gave her a mischievous smile. "Not romantic. He was like another brother." Reilly told them. "Fine we won't try to mess with it a woman who carries her gun nearly twenty four seven is scary enough as it is." Rossi said.

"Excuse me but I couldn't help myself and I caught a few bits and pieces of your conversation. Did you say you carry your gun most of the time? Please tell me I'm not the only one." The woman grinned.

"See I told you I wasn't the only one who carried a gun."

A song came on and Garcia grabbed the girls and dragged them out to the floor for a dance. Hey no one said that just because it was a fancy type thing there would be some fun music. It wasn't until after four songs that Garcia let the girls sit down and rest. The guys were laughing and Reid was possibly picking up a date.

"My Man." Morgan smiled. Reid blushed and brushed a lock of his hair back behind his ear. "Leave my baby genius alone." Garcia came to Reid's rescue. After a few speakers a bit of dinner and a few more songs to dance to the team was getting ready to leave. "You know who you remind me of?" JJ asked.

Reilly looked at the blonde. "Who?"

"Marius. The way you wear red. Almost like a female version of him without the blonde hair." JJ said. "No that would be you. Blonde hair and red clothing. This dress would look good on you. Wanna trade?" Reilly joked. Everyone went home but as soon as Monday came around they were sent off for a case.

~.o0o.~

Early October was rather warm. Nice even. The leaves changed colors in their usual way. Green to red, orange, brown and yellow. Reilly was on the phone with her mother. "Mom you know she's done this before she's more then likely sitting in some tiny apartment with a bunch of others strung out trying to get down from her high." Reilly said.

"But Reilly there have been other girls who have gone missing what if Sarah is one of them? She didn't call this pass Sunday. I already filed a missing persons report but I'm still worried. Are you sure she hasn't called you?" The woman asked.

"Last person she'd call is me. I have to go I'm at work. Bye mom." Reilly hung up before her mother could say anything. Reilly entered the elevator alone and sighed heavily. Her sister was getting their mother all worked up again. No doubt their father was trying to keep the woman calm but was still worried about the daughter.

Reilly walked into the bullpen and nearly ran into JJ. "I was just about to text you. We got a case everyone to the conference room." JJ said. Reilly threw her coat on her desk and her bag before walking into the conference room.

"So where are we headed?" Morgan asked.

"Pinehurst, Massachusetts. There have been a number of murders in the past two months. Every two weeks a body shows up in the lake. The most recent victim to turn up there was Gale Bennet. Now each victim has so far gone missing and then turns up two weeks later both men and woman. He drowns his victims. The woman will show up beaten and the men tortured. Last male to show up had no fingernails, toes nails and little cuts over the body. He also had cuts none were fatal but they all had traces of rubbing alcohol in them." JJ said.

"Now the latest victim is Sarah Mercer." For that moment everyone looked at Reilly. "I'm from Jersey and my sister's name is Janet." She said. "Right. Wheels up in an hour alright?" Hotch said and the team split up.

On the jet Reilly sat away from the others thinking. Her fingers steeped and her chin rested upon the tips. Her blue eyes were fixed on the opposing wall in front of her. Reilly was so deep in though she didn't hear the others calling to her until a pillow collided with the side of her head.

"What was that for?" she asked throwing it back at Morgan. "You okay?" Hotch asked. "Yeah and this time I mean it. I'm thinking about something." The team left it at that. Reilly hoped to god she could save her sister before it was to late.

A/N: review and I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can.

Also in Chapter two I mentioned Reid's fear of the dark and said apparent not inherent. Well about that I'm sorry I couldn't think of the word he had used and said something else. See you next chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

Reilly and Rossi drove over to the Mercer household. Reilly had already text her mother that they were coming. Her mother was to remove all pictures of Reilly and not mention anything about her. They pulled up in front of the house and got out. Rossi was the one to knock on the door. A short woman answered. She was in her late forties and had brown hair. A man appeared in the doorway to the living room. Reilly was thankful her father had gone completely gray by this point in his life. He was two years younger the Rossi.

"Mrs. Mercer I'm agent Rossi this is Agent Mercer. We came to ask you a few questions about your daughter Sarah." Rossi said.

Mrs. Mercer ushered them into the living room. "This is our son Theo. He was the last person to see Sarah before she went missing." The woman said. Theo had his mother's hair color, as did Sarah. Reilly was the only odd one out getting her father's red hair. "What happened when you last saw your sister?" Reilly asked.

"She came to my house asked for a plate of food and a little bit of money. She only asked for five bucks. I made her stay the night and the next morning she was gone before I woke up." Theo told them. "She doesn't have a set residence or is she having boyfriend trouble?" Rossi asked.

"No. Our daughter fell into drugs a few years ago while in college. She hasn't been the same since. But she always kept to a routine. Sundays she would always call or stop by the house. Something to let us now she was all right. She hasn't broken this pattern in five years." Mr. Mercer said. "Mr. Mercer do you know what drugs your daughter is taking?" Reilly asked. All three shook their heads.

"You said your daughter," Theo cut Reilly off with a sudden outburst of anger at her.

"Damn it Reilly she's your sister too. You should at least act like you care." Theo shouted at her.

"Damn it Theo I'm here aren't I?" She shouted back. Reilly turned around and realized what had just been said in front of Rossi.

"Your sister? You said you were from Jersey and your sister's name was Janet." Rossi said.

"No Reilly is ashamed of her sister because of the past they share." Mrs. Mercer said.

"Well now that Rossi knows Mom we'll do what we can but do not get your hopes up. Where are the boys?" Reilly asked.

"School. I don't have to pick them up until three." Mrs. Mercer refused to look at the redheaded woman. The tension in the house has heavy and Rossi saw it was a perfect time for them to leave. The minute they were in the SUV Rossi looked at Reilly who avoided his eyes.

"She's your sister?"

"Yeah she's my sister and you can't tell anyone." Reilly said.

"Why is that? Are you really ashamed for what she's done? That's your family you stick by them no matter what." Rossi said.

"Not in my case. My sister and I have been detached from each other since she thought her friends were more important then possibly losing a sister. What she did in college was her own fault. I tried to help her. What I got in return was evicted and robbed." Reilly said.

"But that's still family." Rossi told her.

"Don't preach to me about sticking by family Rossi. You said you had six brothers and sisters when was the last time you ever talked to one of them?" Reilly asked.

"Alright I may not call them or write them as much as I should but I won't turn them away when they need my help." Rossi argued. "Just drop it."

When they got to the station Rossi and Reilly had dropped the conversation. "How did it go?" Hotch asked.

"Not so great. Turns out the girl we're looking for is on drugs and has no set residence. She calls on Sundays or stops by her parents or her brother's. He last saw her a few days back. She came for a meal and a bit of money. He said she stayed the night but was gone by morning." Reilly recapped.

"Okay." Hotch said and looked at Rossi who motioned for him to follow him over to a secluded corner. Reilly went over to the others to ask them what they had turned up if they had turned up anything.

"Turns out that the missing woman is Reilly's sister. She lied when she said she was from New Jersey and her sister's name was Janet. Her brother had gotten up set with her and blew her cover. She tried to hide it. So far she thinks only I know I promised not to tell anyone so keep it to your self." Rossi told him.

"Sarah Reilly is sick I need you to look after her while I step out for a little bit. I'll only be gone an hour maybe a little more." Octavia told Sarah. The mother of three left her older daughter to look after the younger. Reilly was in her bed sleeping for the time being. Sarah sat down stair for a bit before going upstairs to her sister's room to find the girl awake.

"_I could be at the mall with my friends but no you had to get sick." Sarah said. Reilly said nothing to her sister. "Stupid I bet you can't even stand up look at you." She said. They had once been great friends. Sarah had been proud to be a big sister now she didn't care. "You're only doing this to get attention. You always wanted that." Sarah told her._

_Reilly continued to look at her from behind red locks of hair. "Stop looking at me like that." Sarah said. "I need to go to the bathroom I need your help to walk." Reilly told her. Sarah growled but helped her sister anyway. Sarah grew tired of waiting and looked at the clock. Her mother would be back in another fifteen minutes. Sarah grabbed her purse and left. Reilly opened the door and called for Sarah three times before she realized her sister had left._

_Reilly forced her way down the hall to get to her room but was to weak to make it alone. She collapsed on the hall floor and stayed there till her mother returned an hour later._

"Reilly?" JJ shook the woman's shoulder. "Yeah?"

"We're ready to give the profile." JJ said. Reilly stood and followed the blonde woman. They had been at this case for the past four days and finally had enough from the previous victims to put together a profile. This was someone who wanted to hp people but when they made no progress he would resort to more drastic tactics. They were looking for someone who has recently been fired from a clinic of sorts.

Sarah had yet to turn up which means they still had time. But it was running out. "Keep the docks at the lake monitored." Hotch said.

Hotch sent Morgan and Emily out for the first patrol so that they were always close to the possible dump sight. "I'm going to get some coffee and donuts anyone what anything?" Reilly said. Everyone put in what they wanted and she set out.

Reilly pulled up to the house and got out of the car. Her nephews came running toward her. They were twins and both were seven. "Aunt Reilly are you still looking for Mommy?" Benji asked.

"Yes. I'm going to try and bring her back safe okay. I want you both to know that she loves you very much." Reilly told them.

"If she loves us then why does she not come around anymore?" Armand asked.

"She would if she could but she can't. I'm going to try and bring her back home. But if I don't find your mother I want you to remember she loves you." Reilly had been telling them that for the past three days.

"I have to go okay. Keep your chins up." Planting a kiss to each of their foreheads Reilly smiled and hugged them before leaving to go get the coffee and donuts like she said she was getting.

The dead line had past. But there was no body anywhere. A search had even been set out but they turned up nothing. The team sat in the station getting a bit frustrated. "We just got a call a man was said to be seen with a woman and he driving. They disappeared and the woman he had with him looked like the one we've been looking for." Everyone got a move on.

"Reilly you know this place better then we do he'll take her to the most secluded place he can find now where would that be?" Hotch asked as he drove. Reilly's phone rang.

"He's in your area look around down by the water." Rossi said. Reilly turned her head to the water and caught the sight of the man and her sister.

"Stop." Reilly told Hotch. The man hit the brakes and Reilly jumped from the SUV and threw off her vest as she ran down the slope toward the water.

"Sarah!" She screamed as she reached the bottom of the slope. The unsub pushed the pale of hay into the water and Sarah was dragged down with it. Reilly jumped into the water and swam down to the floor. She used her memory to locate where her sister sank.

Sarah straggled to break her bindings. Bubbles came from her mouth and nose. Reilly pulled at the pale of hay but the added weight of the water had made it to heavy. She went for her sister's ankle but there was a shackle around her ankle.

Sarah had swallowed too much water in her struggling and her body began to still as her lungs slowly filled with water. Reilly pulled out her gun and trained her gunpoint to where the rope met the pale of hay and fired off three shots. The third hitting its mark and releasing Sarah. Reilly grabbed her sister around the waist and swam for the surface.

Reilly gasped as she reached the surface and swam to the edge. Hotch helped pull them out of the water. "Sarah. Come on open your eyes Sarah." Reilly placed her head to her sister's chest. Regardless of Reilly's shaking body she preformed CPR on her sister. "Come on. You have two beautiful little boys waiting for you." She went through the steps again.

"Wake up Sarah. Don't do this to me. Don't do this to them." Sarah finally gasped after the third try. She coughed up mouthfuls of water as her body also started to tremble.

"Hotch!"

"Down here." Hotch got up and went to lead the paramedics down to the pair. Everything else happened in a blur. There were blankets and the cutting of clothes. There was warmth after a while. Reilly had fallen asleep and was placed in a room to be treated for hypothermia as well as her sister who was in another room. Reilly woke up to find Hotch sitting in an uncomfortable looking chair.

"How long have you been sitting there?" She whispered loud enough for him to hear.

"How long were you going to lie to us about your sister?" Hotch said.

"I have my reasons. You may think it wrong but something's need to be done to get the job done." Reilly told him.

"You have to learn to trust us and learn that we don't judge because of someone's family members." Hotch said.

"I'll try to keep that in mind. How long have I been here? Where are the others?" She asked. "Did they get the unsub?"

"They got him. The team is clearing up a few things before they head over. Your sister is going to be okay."

"Of course she is." Reilly started to nod off again. She was tired and her body ached still. She was going to have a very serious talk with her sister when she woke up again.

"Hey Reilly. Reilly wake up." Someone shook her shoulder. It sounded much like her brother Theo. "Reilly wake up sissy." Reilly looked groggily at her brother.

"You did it. She got her back alive. Mom hasn't left her side since they brought her in but they're sending her and Dad home in a few minutes. I wanted to sneak in and see you. Your team members all snuck off to the lunchroom. Scary bunch they are including the really skinny guy." Theo grinned at her.

"I gotta go. Stop by before you leave if you can." Theo told her. Reilly waited until her brother had left her room before she forced herself to sit up. She waited a few minutes before she climbed out of the bed and slowly made her way into the hall and to her sister's room. Sarah was going to be fine. The cuts and bruising would heal.

"Reilly?" Sarah looked at her sister.

"Don't talk you are going to listen to me and listen to me well I'm only saying it once." Reilly said to her. At that moment Emily and Reid were headed back to Reilly's room with some food for her. They saw her sneaking into her sister's room. But Reilly had not seen them coming down the hall. The whole team knew now the relationship after Mrs. Mercer came in looking for both daughters.

"I've had enough. Do you realize you could have died? If it hadn't been for the team you would be. I've had it with you. I bet you'll let mom take you home feed you up and then you'll disappear in the middle of the night looking for one of your fixes. That crap will kill you."

"Reilly please."

"Shut up. You have two little boys who barely know who you are. I'm sick of our mother calling me worried about how you miss a call or didn't show up for some food. Sarah I'm giving you one year. One year to get your stuff together. One and if you don't I will take the boys with me to Virginia and you will never see them again I will make sure of it. Do you understand me?" Reilly asked.

"Yes." Sarah croaked.

Reilly left the room and slipped back into her own. Emily and Reid were waiting for her. "Hey where did you go?" Reid asked.

"To the bathroom. I ran into my doctor he said I can leave tomorrow." Reilly got back into her bed.

"Well we brought you some food." Emily held up a plastic container containing a sandwich.

"Thanks but I'm not hungry. I'm going to go back to sleep and you guys should head back to the hotel and do the same." Reilly told them.

"No you don't. Hotch told us to make sure you eat at least half of this." Reid said handing her the sandwich. Reilly thought she was humoring them by taking a few bites but after each bite she realized she was hungry and ate the whole thing and drank half a bottle of water.

The next day Reilly claimed she signed out with her doctor when Morgan, JJ and Rossi came for her. "Ready to go home?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah. But can we make a quick stop first?" Reilly asked.

"Okay." They drove to the elementary school where Reilly's nephews were. She had them called down to the office.

"Hey Boys. I have to go back to where I live okay but I'll come back and visit if I can. You might be seeing your Mommy more often okay. Be good get good grades and work hard for me." Reilly told them.

"Yes Aunt Reilly." The twins said.

"Bye boys." She kissed their heads and stood up pulling her coat tighter around her and putting her hood up before waving to them one last time and leaving. Getting back into the SUV Reilly looked back at the school's doors and smiled.

"Cute kids. They kind of look like you." JJ said.

"They're my sister's boys. No point in hiding it anymore you all know." Reilly said. The moment they boarded the plane Reilly took a seat in the first chair and was happy to be going home.

"Hey look what I got." Morgan held a cup out to her.

"Please tell me that is hot chocolate cause I could really use it." She smirked.

"How come I didn't get any?" Reid pouted.

"Because you have coffee in your hand and the last thing we need is for you to be hopped up on sugar." Emily told him. Reilly never finished her hot chocolate. She had fallen asleep leaving half the cup. Hotch made the whole team take a three-day weekend because this was the longest case they had had all year.

Reilly got home and the first thing she did was grab a pillow, blanket and a large glass of water before settling down on her couch to sleep. Duchess curled into her side as she slept the feline had sensed her owner needing her and the cat wasn't wrong. Theo called her later that day and laughed when he heard her groggy voice.

"You love escaping from the hospital don't you?" He chuckled. "Who would I be if I didn't? Besides they only keep you for unnecessary time so they can make some more money off you." She told him.

"You know that's not true. It's for your own good. What are you doing?"

"I'm on another case because my boss is a hard ass. No the whole team has gotten a few days off. I'm home sleeping. Was sleeping. Get off my phone so I can go back to sleep." Reilly yawned. "All right crabby. Mom and Dad say hi." Theo said.

"All my love, get off my phone." She grumbled.

"Fine Bye sis." Theo hung up.

"Heaven knows why I put up with them. I should have been put up for adoption." Reilly smiled at her black cat. The cat mewed and curled back into a ball to sleep. Reilly took the hint and went to bed as well.


	6. Chapter 6

JJ: got a case. Wheels up in half an hour briefing on the plane.

Reilly looked at her half made pancake batter and dumped it into the trash before throwing the bowl in the sink and running a bit of water in it. Reilly's stomach growled as she climbed on the plane. "What's wrong with you?" Morgan asked.

"I don't know. I feel fine." She told him. It would get him off her case for a little bit. They went through the briefing and soon landed at their destination. Reilly's stomach growled relentlessly for food. "Emily and Reilly you go to the dump sight take a look around see if you turn up anything." Hotch told them.

Emily and Reilly returned two hours later after hitting all three-dump sights. "He's got a purpose in all of this if he's placing them as carefully as he is." Reilly said sitting down. "He lays them out carefully like he cares for these woman but he doesn't." Emily said.

For the next two days there were near eating attempts that almost went right but others had to eat to. "Hey Reid I'm going to the bakery across the street I'm starving and haven't eaten in two days." Reilly went into the bakery across the street and came out with a cinnamon bun in her hand. An old man sitting outside looked at her.

"Here." She handed it to him.

"Thank you miss. Heavens bless you." He said. Reilly went back to Reid. They had wasted enough time. They walked into the station and Reilly saw the box of donuts sitting on the table. Just as she was about to reach for the box an officer went for the donut and took a bite before looking at Reilly.

"Sorry did you want this?" He asked. "No you can have it."

You know damn well I was reaching that donut you fat bastard, she thought.

"Go eat something." Rossi told Reilly.

"How did you know?" Reilly asked and Rossi chuckled.

"I've been at this job longer then you kiddo. I know the look of hunger and I know when someone's stomach is growling. You don't yourself sounds like a chain saw."

"Very funny." Reilly told him. Another day went by no time to stop and eat. Sleep, work and coffee seemed to be working well enough. "Finally it's over." Morgan sighed. The team had finished their case and was looking forward to a weekend of no on call. Morgan was driving them to the airport.

"I think I'm going to lock myself in my house and forget you people exist." Morgan smiled.

"Fine by me. Maybe then I can get done what I want to get done. I have books to read and pottery to make." Reilly said.

"How much pottery do you have?" Emily asked. Reilly bit her lip in thought as she mentally counted everything she had made off in her head.

"Somewhere between 120 and 150." Reilly said.

"I should paint them but I need to order the paint."

"We've never been to your place." Reid stated. "Well that's life." Reilly told him. Reilly missed the look Morgan threw at Reid. Everyone was on the jet and once they were in the air Reilly got up to find something to munch on. Sadly there was nothing. She sat talking to Rossi and Emily about something when her stomach growled.

The two looked at her. "Hey Reid I think you're thinking to hard we can here it all the way over here." Reilly told him.

"Don't try to direct the attention away from your stomach." Reid felt the ball of paper connect with his temple. Morgan chuckled.

"That's enough." Hotch said. The minute he turned his head a ball of paper hit him in the chest. "Morgan did it."

"JJ." Hotch looked at her.

"That's enough children or it's time out for all of you." JJ told them. "But Reid started it."

"Brat Princess." JJ smirked. "Oh you'll pay for that."

Rossi looked at her. "What's that about?" He asked. "Inside joke old man."

.::*::.

"Why are we here again?" Emily asked.

"I want to see what Reilly's place looks like and really see if she had as much pottery as she claims." Morgan said.

"You will not destroy my redhead's work. Or I'll destroy you." Garcia said.

"How did I get talked into this?" Hotch asked.

They could hear the music on the other side of the door. Morgan knocked on the door with a great deal of force. Reilly jumped up and turned down the music and grabbed a towel to wipe her hands so she could answer the door. She pulled the door open and went to slam it shut but Morgan stuck his foot in the door.

"Go away." She growled.

"Not a chance. We came for a bit of fun." Morgan said.

"I don't see why there's nothing here for you to do." She said as every one made their way into her living room. "Take your shoes off." She said pulling Rossi back over to the door.

"I never thought your place would be this cute." Garcia smiled.

"I thought you'd have white walls or something." Rossi said. Duchess appeared and sat on top of the shelf above the TV.

"Dire bonjour Duchesse." Reilly said. The cat mewed.

"You speak French." Garcia asked. "Oui."

"Now why are you here?" Reilly asked picking Duchess from the shelf. "We thought we could have a movie night and Reid missed you." Emily smiled. Reid looked at her with a frown.

"Look my Redheaded Angel either we stay for a few hours and have some fun or you will have a terrible price to face at work."

"Aw l'nefer. Comment ai-je retrourver avec le lot de vous pour le co-travailleurs?" (How did I end up with the lot of you for co-workers?) Reilly said in French.

"Are you cursing us out?" JJ asked.

"I can. But I think I'll hold back. Someone order some pizza." Reilly walked out of the room and went back down the hall. She removed her pot from the table and walked back toward the others to a door that looked like a closet but lead to her basement. The others stood around watching as she came back a few minutes later with dried works.

"That's not a lot." Rossi stated.

"Follow me." They followed Reilly down the hall to her workroom and stared. The number of pots and vases was amazing.

"I have more in the kitchen and a few in the dinning room. I should really sit down and count them. I've made about seven and just put them in the kiln." Reilly set them down.

"What's in the trash can?" Hotch asked.

"Oh. I forgot to get rid of the body. Merde." Everyone looked at Reilly.

"I'm only kidding its wet clay. I buy it large amounts and have to keep it wet what better way then put it together and adding water. When I get it it's dry and I have a better chance of just filling this thing with water and letting it soak." Reilly explained.

"Okay but do you need to bins? How much did you get?" Garcia asked.

"Red clay and white clay. Certain colors look better on white then they do on red and red has a way of making blue look almost coral like. Now everyone out of my workroom." Everyone left the room and went to the living room.

An hour later everyone was sitting down for a movie with pizza boxes being passed around and beers floating this way and that. They watched two movies before Reilly stood up and stretched.

"Temeps de tout le monde maintenant pour vous de renter chez eux et de me laisser tranquille." (Now everyone time for you to get home and leave me alone.)

"English please." Rossi said.

"Leave." She looked at him. "Next time you call ahead of time and give me a chance to hide from you so you can't find me." Everyone walked out the door saying his or her good byes and waving.

"Vous voyez le Lundi." She called to them.

.::*::.

Reilly sat up in bed. She had yet another nightmare. The last case they'd had was far more gruesome then most. The way the unsub gutted his victims. The smell was far blood. Reilly sat by the window looking out into the rain. Now would be a good time for Garcia to be Garcia and kidnap them to go a bar or a club or bowling. Bowling wouldn't be bad.

The next day Reilly sat at her desk and sighed putting down her paper work. "I think we should go bowling." She said.

"What?" Emily asked.

"Bowling. I think we should go bowling after work this Friday can't hurt." Reilly said again.

"I've never been bowling." Reid said.

"Did I say Friday I mean today." Reilly said.

"Work is almost over." Morgan said.

"I think we can slip out half an hour early." Morgan said.

"I'll get Hotch and Rossi." Reilly said jumping up from her desk.

"I get baby girl. Hey JJ Reid's never been bowling we're leaving half an hour early to take him." Morgan called into her office.

"Hey Hotch. We're going bowling tonight and Reid has never been so we're all bailing out an now get packed cause you know your not getting out of this." Reilly told him before going to Rossi office. "Hey old guy we're going bowling tonight Reid's never been. Get your butt in gear we're leaving in a few minutes."

"My poor baby has never been bowling before?" Garcia said as she walked in coat in hand. "Come on you guys. Reid you're riding with me." Morgan swung his arms around Reid's shoulder. They piled into two cars and rode over to the bowling alley. "Reid you are going to have so much fun." Garcia smiled.

"Hey Rossi try not to throw out your back." Reilly teased the older agent.

"Haha. I'll be the one driving you home next time you get drunk remember that." Rossi said. "No that's Morgan. After you took and drugged me for that flight I'm not standing with in two feet of you." Reilly told him. "Yeah I wanna share a jet with someone who's on the verge of a panic attack." Rossi said.

Rossi felt something hit him in the back of the head. "Alright shoe claim first." Emily said. "This is gonna be awesome. Guys vs. Girls." JJ said.

"You do not wanna go there." Morgan said.

"Like you can beat us. I'll have you know I have never lost a game before." Morgan told her.

"We'll see about that Morgan." Everyone got shoes and the game was quickly started.

"Hey Morgan still think your gonna win?" JJ asked. Morgan sat with a frown on his face. Reid scored a strike. "That's my man." Morgan jumped up.

A little over an hour later the girls had won the game with three strikes from JJ, Garcia and Emily. "So who did you say was winning my God of Thunder?" Garcia smiled at the dark skinned man.

"Winning isn't the point. The point was that Reid had fun. Did you Pretty Boy?"

"Yeah. Can we do that again?" Reid asked.

"Yeah we can do that again. Your birthday we'll be right there playing again." Reilly smiled at him.

.::.*::.

"You know this isn't as bad as it could be." JJ said.

"Yeah right." Emily said.

"This is very, very bad." Morgan said. "Hotch is going to kill us."

"Why am I going to kill you?" Hotch appeared at the door of the break room.

"Hotch it was a total accident man. We didn't mean to." Reilly said.

"What?" Hotch looked at his team.

"We broke the mug Jack gave you. We know how attached you are to it and it was moved out f the way and it got knocked over." Emily said.

"Accident's happen. Besides he got me a bigger one." Hotch smiled as he produced a mug and went to make himself some coffee. "Well I don't have to die then." Morgan sighed leaving the break room while he had the chance.

Emily, JJ and Reilly had been on the elevator going down heading home. "Reilly what are you doing this Saturday night?" Emily asked. "Nothing why?" she replied.

"I have a friend who I think might be a pretty good match for you. Wanna give it a shot?" Emily asked. "Sure." Reilly replied.

That following Monday Reilly walked into the office feeling sluggish and woozy. How she managed to drive herself into work was beyond her. Reilly was miserable to say the least. Reilly had spent the better part of her Sunday over a toilet sick. "What the hell happened to you?" Emily asked.

"I'm not going on a date reference from you again. He was a total asshole. He talked about himself the whole time and called me rude when I tried to ask him a question. He was a total pig." Reilly stated. "He seemed pretty okay when I met him in the bar the other night." Emily protested.

"Yeah well whatever place we ate at gave me food poisoning. It's out of my system but I spent yester and more then half the night up chucking. We got a case yet?" Reilly asked.

"Morgan you want a case?" he asked.

"I got to take my anger out on something so why not a criminal?" she smiled at him. "Were you violent as a child?" Reid asked. "Surprisingly no." Reilly told him. Garcia walked into the bullpen. "I need everyone's baby picture, a picture from when they were a child, from their teens, one from the prom and from when you were in college." She said.

"Why would I do that when you can just hack your way into my life and find my pictures as easily as you please because you know very well that I'm not giving you any of my pictures. Ever." Emily said.

"You asked for it sweetness." Garcia said walking out of the bullpen.

"I hope she finds the good ones of me." Morgan smiled.

"What was Garcia here for?" Rossi asked poking his head out of his office.

"She wanted everyone's pictures. She's just gonna use her hacking skills to get them." Emily said.

"Not like I need to worry. I was pretty good looking while growing up." Rossi smiled. "As opposed to now where you look like an old fart." Everyone started to laugh.

.::*::.

"I swear that man developed a stutter after we got done there." Rossi and Hotch were in a corner laughing about something. Everyone was trying to listen to what they were saying.

"No remember Jackson. I stood as far from his as possible. I swear that man didn't bath. I could see the hair in his ears from a mile away." Hotch said. "No what about Harris from Vermont. I thought JJ was going to shoot him." Rossi laughed.

"No when we went to Austin and Reid started talking to the officer and rambled off all these facts about criminals and if they have families and the guy stood there staring for a good five minutes. Then asked if Reid was for real." He and Hotch chuckled. They looked up to see everyone watching them.

"Go to sleep." Rossi told them.

"You take all the fun out everything." Emily smiled.

"He's just a mean old grouch." Reilly smiled.

"Whatever you say carrot top." Rossi threw back.

"I may have red hair but I'm not going gray." She smiled at him. Rossi looked at her and frowned.

"I think she wins that one." Morgan laughed. Reid and JJ sat chuckling to each other. "Don't feel bad old man as long as you can still woo the ladies I think you're in pretty good shape. Just don't over do it." Reilly threw in. "And she wins again." Morgan said hiding his smile.

.::*::.

Reilly tried to reach for her gun but it was out of reach. She felt her windpipe getting smaller as the man pressed his thumps on it. A shot went off and the man collapsed upon her. Rossi rushed over and pushed him off. Reilly turned over gasping for much needed air. "You good?" he asked.

"I'll get back to you on that." She told him.

"Now can you tell us what happened here? Who did this to you?" Rossi asked. The woman suddenly pulled out a gun and was ready to shoot. A shot was fired. Reilly looked at Rossi. "You gonna be alright?"

"I'll get back to you on that." He said. Later on the jet Rossi saw Reilly talking with Reid about something. He got up and was gone for a good five minutes. When he came back he handed her a heated towel. "For the bruising around your neck." He said. "Thanks for saving me." Reilly said.

"Your part of the team you got my back I got yours. Even when you make cracks at my age." Rossi chuckled. "Still quicker then you." Reilly said. "But I'm closer to my retirement then you." Rossi told her.

"Ass." Reilly grumbled.

A/N: translations by way of google translate. I learned finnish not French.


	7. Chapter 7

"What are you doing?" Reilly asked as she walked over to Reid's desk. "Bit of magic." He smiled at her. "It's so cool come watch." JJ said. JJ, Garcia, Emily and Reilly watched as the cap flew off and out of sight.

"Reid." Hotch said in a warning tone. "Right not in the office." Reid said. "Really starting to get distance on those things." Hotch said. "I still thought it was pretty cool." Reilly smiled at Reid.

It wasn't long after lunch JJ appeared with a case.

"Morgan can you hear me?" Emily asked.

"Loud and clear Em." He replied.

"Reilly can you hear me?" she asked.

"Yeah." She the voice sounded disgusted.

"Reid can you hear us?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah."

"What's wrong with you two?" Emily asked.

"We're in almost total darkness and I think I have dead rats under our feet." Reilly stated.

"That's nasty." Emily said.

"Morgan I don't think we're going to find him down here. We're heading up." Reid said. Morgan lowered his gun. They wouldn't find anything here tonight. "Alright we're heading back Hotch." He said.

"They will be but you won't." a vice said before two gunshots went off. "Morgan!" Emily rushed down to Morgan's level and Reilly and Reid were coming up. The unsub was headed down the firs escape.

Hours later they left the hospital with Morgan in tow. "So what your not gonna speak to me now Pretty Boy?" Morgan asked. Morgan was going to be just fine. One bullet missed and the other hit him in his shoulder. It barely nicked the artery. "Reid has the right idea. Why didn't you at least say something?" Emily frowned.

"You get shot and try to speak." He said. "Alright that's enough from everyone. We got the unsub and tomorrow we're going home. You are going on medical leave and we are all going on a much deserved break for the rest of the week." Hotch said.

"Fine by me." Reid said glaring at Morgan.

On the jet Reilly looked at Morgan. "What do you want to know if it hurts?" he asked. "I know it hurts. I've been shot before. Crime lab gets some action." Reilly told him.

"What was that like?" Morgan asked. "Pretty cool. Miss it a little bit but my former boss thought I'd do a better job here then there. The whole group of them thought I'd do better here. I like it here but I still miss them. They were a great group of friends. But sometimes things did get crazy in the lab." Reilly admitted. "You ever miss the beat?"

"Do I ever miss the beat? I do sometimes because it kept me close to my mother and sisters but now I now I can do more here then I ever could just working for the force. Besides the fact my mother isn't calling me asking me if I'm okay everyday." Morgan said.

"She doesn't want to lose her baby. You're her only boy and you have to carry on the name and give her some grandbabies." Reilly smiled. "That's not what I wanted to hear from you." Morgan frowned.

"Sorry I got an older brother and my mother says the same thing to him. Get a real job settle down and give me grand children. That was before Sarah had the boys." Reilly said. "What does your brother do?" Morgan asked.

"He's a firefighter. It's his life and it pisses me off." Reilly chuckled.

"Why is that?"

"Because when I had to move back home with my folks Theo thought it was a good thing if we had plans and routes to get out of the house. We made the plans and all that. Then one night I just get done with a 36 hour shift I wasn't sleep for more then an hour or so and suddenly the fire alarms go off and there's smoke in the house so I start running through the house waking up the kids getting my parents and getting everyone out of the house." Reilly shared.

"So he set the house on fire?" Morgan raised a brow.

"No he got two smoke machines from a friend of his. I was so mad at him for that. Mom wasn't too happy either but I was far more upset because I hadn't slept. But they cleared the smoke out and everyone was able to reenter the house. When I woke up again Theo had this look on his face. I gave him a black eye." She chuckled.

"In my house we had pillow fights." Morgan said.

.::*::.

Hotch stood in front of Reilly and smiled. "Now you been here a full year. You've worked well with the team and get the job done. You have your choice to go try your time with another unit or you can stay with us." Hotch said.

Reilly thought for a second. Literally a single second before giving her answer. "I want to stay here you guys." She smiled. "Good we enjoy having you around." Rossi said.

Everyone was getting ready to take his or her two-week vacation for the holiday. Finishing up paper work and putting everything in order before they left. "Hey you joining us for the dinner right. It's on the twenty seventh." Reid asked.

"What?" Reilly checked her calendar. "I don't think I'll make it." Reilly said. "What? Why?"

"I'm going home to my family. I haven't spent a Christmas with them in three years I think it's time I got back." Reilly said. "We'll miss you." Garcia said hugging the woman.

"I'll be back on the twenty eight if you want to get together for some desert." She smiled. "I think we could do that." Garcia smiled.

"Bye everyone. I'll send your gifts you should have them on the twenty third." She called.

Christmas when she was young had been a big thing in her house and it had been a loving affair. She and Sarah were friends then. They helped bake cookies sneaking some of the dough and looking for the Christmas presents. Sarah had been the one who ruined Christmas for her at the age of six. She had gotten mad and told her there was no Santa.

"Glad you could join us." Theo said as Reilly got off at the gate.

Back in D.C. everyone was setting up for Christmas them selves. Hotch was baking cookies with Jack and watching little Christmas movies.

Rossi was alone for the holiday yes but he could still enjoy himself. Maybe call Reid and Morgan over sees what those two had gotten into. Emily went to her mother's. Reid was indeed with Morgan and Morgan was showing him yet another Morgan family Christmas tradition.

JJ was home with Will and Henry decorating for the holiday. Hanging lights and keeping Henry from outing the light and bulbs in his mouth.

"Guess who's home." Reilly called as she entered the house. The twins attacked her with hugs. "There's my baby girl." Reilly's father gave her one of his famous bear hugs. "Air Dad. I need Air." She gasped. "You're getting thin again. We can't have that." Her mother hugged and kissed her cheek.

A throat was cleared. Reilly turned and saw her sister. Her sister was dressed for the occasion. She looked well rested and had put on weight. "Hi Reilly." She smiled at her sister.

"Sarah." Reilly held a clam expressionless face.

"Kids follow your Uncle Theo into the kitchen while I talk to your Aunt Reilly." Sarah told her sons.

"No. They can stay. What is it?" Reilly asked flatly.

"I'm clean Reilly. I got cleaned and I feel so much better now. I've gotten and job just a little one working in a dinner but it's something. I'm going to go back to school in the fall. I'm working on getting a place for me and the boys." Sarah said. Reilly nodded and everyone continued into the kitchen.

The holiday was turning out to be rather surprisingly enjoyable for everyone. "Octa did you get the cider?" Armand asked. "Behind the milk dear."

"So got any stories for us from that job of yours?" Theo asked. "None that I'm telling you. Wish I could forget what I've seen." Reilly closed her eyes for a second and reopened them.

"Then what about the people you work with. The one with the salt and pepper hair was rather nice to me while I was in the hospital." Sarah said. "Rossi? He's a lady's man and total charmer. He's funny when he wants to be but sometimes when we get a bit unruly on the jet back home he scolds us like idiot children." Reilly laughed.

"The really skinny guy with the long hair. Please tell me he is sick or something and he has a legitimate excuse for being that thin." Octavia said.

"Reid. Reid is that thin. I was told he's always been thin. I've seen the boy in a bathing suit he's always been that thin. But he's random. He's a genius. No seriously he's a bloody genius. He can process 20,000 words a minutes when he reads. He can remember anything her had ever read. He keeps really odd useless facts though." Reilly shared. She told her family about the people she worked with. Including Garcia and all her sweet antics.

"Garcia tries to brighten our day. She's always there with a smiled because we see the worst of it. So she brightens everything up to forget the horror to help us forget the horror. Besides the fact that karaoke nights of nuts. Fun but nuts." Reilly laughed.

.::*::.

Everyone was sitting down to dinner minus one redhead. They were in the middle of eating when there was a knock at the door. "You can't have dinner with out deep dish apple pie." Reilly appeared in the door. This time she was dry not wet like she had been.

"You made it. I came home early. You guys are just as much as my family as the people who raised me. Besides I have a skinny doctor to fatten up on behalf of my mother. Reid come eat this pie." Everyone smiled or laughed.

.::*::.

Another year went by and cases came and went. Nightmares were had some more gruesome then others. Drama was seen in more places then one and laughs were cheered. Whether over beers and the bar or song at Karaoke. They managed to make it through the year without to much injury.

"Do you ever date?" Morgan asked.

"Morgan just because I don't command attention from the opposite sex like you do doesn't mean I don't date. I went out on a date three weeks ago." Reilly stated.

"So when are you seeing him again?"

"It's none of your business Morgan." Reilly stated closing the door so of the elevator.

"Why are we here? Why do we have to be here?" Reilly complained. Garcia. JJ and Emily had kidnapped her and dragged her out of her house on a Friday night. Will was there also because it was a friend of his they had dragged her to meet.

"Here he comes." Will said. "Jean-Claude how you been?" Will greeted his friend. His friend was tall and thin yet built. His eyes were a greenish blue and hair fell about in soft dark curls around his shoulders.

"Claude you remember JJ and these are her co-workers. Emily, Garcia and Reilly."

"Nice to meet you." He nodded to them. His eyes fell on Reilly who was avoiding his. "Why so shy?" He asked sitting next to her.

"I'm not shy. I just have a cold." Reilly sniffed to add effect. "So sorry to hear that Ma petit." Jean-Claude smiled at her.

"Essayez douce me parler si vous voulez en connaitre le francais, mais juste, que chaque mot que vous dites." (Try and sweet talk me if you want in French but just know, I know every word you say.) Reilly told him.

Jean-Claude nodded. JJ's phone rang. She stepped away leaving the others. "So Jean-Claude how long are you staying for?" Garcia asked.

"I'm moving here permanently. I like it here. Everyone's so nice and the woman are very beautiful." He looked at Reilly. JJ came back over. "Sorry baby got to go." She said kissing Will. "Give Henry a kiss for me."

"Be safe."

"Lets go." Reilly called to her. Jean-Claude seized her hand and brought it to his lips kissing her hand between her middle and ring finger. "Good-bye." He smiled before letting her hand go. Reilly trotted out the door to the others.

"I hate you all and I'm asexual." Reilly declared.

"Oh let the man woo you." Garcia laughed.

"I don't need wooing I'm asexual." Reilly growled.

"Since when?" Emily asked.

"Since ten minutes ago." She growled back at them.

They trotted into the conference room and took their seats. "Why are you blushing?" Reid asked. "Mind your business." She hissed.

.::*::.

"I'm getting to old for this." Rossi complained as he sat down. "Then quit." Hotch told him.

"So Reilly when did you declare yourself asexual?" Morgan asked.

"I don't know what your talking about." She tried to hide her ears, which began to turn red. "Then why are you blushing?" Morgan asked. Reilly put her headset on. "Oh smooth." JJ chuckled.

.::*::.

"Garcia come on we have to get going. Bring a friend will end soon." Emily called. "I'm coming, I'm coming." She grabbed her purse and met them at the elevator. "What's wrong?"

"Someone is on this elevator already they're coming up." Reilly said looking back at the numbers. The door opened. The person on it was the shocker. "Hello Cher. JJ, Emily and Garcia." Jean-Claude nodded to them.

"I hope you're here for Emily because my red angel is asexual." Garcia smiled at him. "Well even if that may be so would she object to lunch with me?" he smiled.

"I might." She said. "Juste un jour dejeuner. Ou nous pouvons avoir du café." (Just one lunch date. Or we can get coffee.)

"Fine I'll have lunch with you." Reilly told him.

"Have fun." Emily waved as they walked through the parking lot.

"Now why would you declare yourself asexual?" Jean-Claude asked. "That's a bit personal." Reilly stated pulling her scarf tighter around her neck. "Yes very sorry. Then might I have the grace of learning your full name?" he asked.

"Reilly E. Mercer. Yourself?" Reilly looked down one end of the street and Jean-Claude the other. "Jean-Claude N. Penbrook." He stated.

"Well Monsieur Penbrook I hope your up for a little traffic playing. This light is ridiculous. On three follow my lead." Reilly said. "Three." Reilly dashed out into the road narrowly missing a car. "I said three." She shouted over the cars.

At that moment the light turned yellow and then red and Jean-Claude walked across the street. "Mademoiselle I do believe you are one of the strangest women I have ever had the pleasure of meeting." Jean-Claude smiled.

An hour later Reilly walked into the bullpen with a pink nose and flushed cheeks. "So I'm guessing the date went well." JJ smiled. "It wasn't a date but it was nice." Reilly smiled the rest of the day.

"So when is the date?" Reid asked.

"When the sky falls and you get a date." She smiled. Reilly did have a date for that Friday night. She found herself unable to hide the smile as she went home that evening. Two days and she'd be enjoying a lovely dinner with a handsome Louisiana native. They could talk for hours if they wanted and she knew it. He was a man of knowledge. Well what else would you be when you're a high school teacher for an English class.

But sometimes things had to be put on hold and dates had to wait. Jean-Claude understood and they postponed. He couldn't wait to see the redheaded wonder he had met. The blue eyes that stuck out against the flames.


	8. Chapter 8

Reilly and Jean-Claude finally got their first official date. When Reilly returned home she was less then pleased to see JJ, Garcia and Emily waiting for her. "We want details." They begged.

"I want you out of my house." She said.

"Oh come on." Penelope said. "Out." She said.

"At least tell us there will be a date number two."

"Yes there will be. When we plan for it I don't know. But I know he's amazing." She smiled.

.::*::.

"Reid?" Reilly called.

"Reid you okay?" she called again. She heard coughing.

"I'm fine." He called.

"You okay?" he called back.

"I'm going to be okay."

"Reid? Reilly can you hear me?" Rossi called down.

"We're fine Rossi. Just get us out of here." Reid called up. He crawled his way over to Reilly.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Fine. Think I ate some of this stuff." She smiled.

"I think you'll live." He said helping her up.

"My ankle is twisted a bit. Hurts like hell and your bleeding." Reilly stated.

"We'll live. So when do you go on this date?"

"Are you trying to make small talk?" she grinned.

"Would you prefer it if I rambled off facts?"

"Yes." Reid rambled on about some random topic and Reilly listened while their rescue got organized and came to get them.

"I don't think I like collapsing building." Reid said while talking to Morgan.

"No one does kid." The dark skinned man smiled.

"So Reilly what do you have in mind with that ankle?" Rossi asked.

"I'm going on a date." Reilly smiled as her phone went off again.

Everyone looked at her and she smiled. She had just admitted to the team she was going on a date willingly.

She explained to Jean-Claude that they could not do what they had originally planned but they could settle for dinner. A nice home cooked meal. Reilly got out of her car and started up the walkway to the door. She missed the ice on the walkway that had formed and slipped.

Jean-Claude threw the door open and rushed outside to Reilly. "Are you all—ah." Jean-Claude slipped on the ice as well. Reilly laughed.

"Are you all right?" Reilly smiled. "I'll be fine. You? Your ankle does it hurt?" He asked slowly getting up and then helping Reilly up.

"I'm fine." They walked into the house and the warmth washed over Reilly and the scent of something very good coking in the kitchen. "Here let me go put some salt on the walkway so you don't slip when you leave." Jean-Claude took the bucket by the door and Reilly slipped into the kitchen where dinner was cooking on the stove.

It smelled like heaven. But then again she was starving. She heard the door close and lock. "Smells good?" He asked.

"Like heaven. What are you making?" Reilly asked.

"Gumbo. Thought you'd like to try it. Are you allergic to shellfish?" Jean-Claude asked.

"Good because I haven't put in the shrimp or crab meat yet." Jean-Claude soon brought Reilly over tot the counter and had her chopping some broccoli to put in the pot. They cooked and talked through dinner. They popped open a bottle of wine during desert, which was a rich and heavenly tasting Chocolate Moose.

Reilly was laughing at something Jean-Claude had said while putting her coat on. Time had flown by it was past midnight. Jean-Claude said it was no time for a woman to go home alone and that she could take his bed while he slept on the couch.

"Please reconsider." Jean-Claude said one last time.

"Sorry. I've got to get home. I'll call you." Reilly pecked his cheek with a kiss and left from his porch just as it started to snow lightly.

"Drive careful." Jean-Claude called to her.

"Cross my heart." Reilly smiled getting into her car. Jean-Claude stood in his door until the car disappeared down the road.

.::*::.

Reilly returned to work with her ankle sturdy and steady. It was obvious Reilly was happy. Her mouth turned slightly upward in a little smile. Her eyes were bright and she pushed her hair back from her face more now. She even started wearing a bit of Chap Stick.

Reilly and Jean-Claude's second date was ice-skating. It took them a while to get the hang of it but they finally did with sore butts they left and went to find warmth. Jean-Claude's couch with a hot chocolate and a good long movie. Jean-Claude read to her and Reilly read back. They spoke in French for hours and recited the greatest poets and authors to each other.

It had been early April when Reid saw something that would have the whole team buzzing later.

"So Reilly how was the book store?" JJ smiled.

"How many times do I have to tell you guys to stop tracking me like that?" Reilly commented.

"Who said anything about tracking?" Emily smiled.

"Reid found you in the book store huddled up on the couch with Jean-Claude reading to each other." Morgan smiled.

"Now that never happened. I don't know what you people are talking about."

"This picture looks pretty real to me." Rossi said handing her the phone.

"Where is that pipe cleaner?" Reilly's nose twitched angrily.

"Don't hurt him to bad.' Morgan called after her as she dared to venture into the men's bathroom.

.::*::.

As the weather got warmer so did Reilly and Jean-Claude's relationship. When Reilly could spare it she would spend the night at Jean-Claude's house. They'd share the bed. On nice days when they didn't have to work and Reilly knew there was no on call they could be found outside with books and a blanket reading to each other and smiling.

The team had returned from a case rather early. "Hey Reilly you in for a few beers tonight?" Rossi asked.

"Nope sorry. I'm headed for-"

"Jean-Claude's." Everyone standing by the elevator said in unison.

"Well I am. He found a new book.

"You know what we're having a team outing tomorrow. Girlfriends, boyfriends, dogs and children will be present. Everyone brings something. I will text you the park location tonight." Garcia said.

"If you don't show up you'll fear the wrath that is Penelope Garcia." Everyone went home to pack see what they could bring along to the picnic.

The next day everyone started to arrive at the park with baskets and bags of food and drinks. Hotch brought Jack, Morgan and Rossi brought along their dogs, and JJ had Will and Henry with her.

Reilly had arrived alone with a basket in her hand. She kept looking around for something and finally found it because she jumped up and ran for the car that had just pulled up. Jean-Claude had barely gotten out of the car when Reilly attacked him with a hug and a kiss.

They walked over hand in hand. "Claude you remember Emily, Garcia and JJ. Of course Will and their son Henry. This is my boss Hotch and his son Jack, that's Rossi, Kevin Garcia's boyfriend, over there is Morgan and this is Reid. Everyone Jean-Claude." Reilly smiled.

"Nice to finally meet you." Morgan smiled shaking the man's hand. Jean-Claude and Morgan got started in some conversation.

"Daddy can we play catch?" Jack asked.

"Sure Buddy." Hotch stood up and he and Jack walked into the clearing and tossing him a football. At first Reilly and Jean-Claude sat together talking with the others and smiling. They laughed and joked nudged each other in that playful way.

"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." Jean-Claude smiled at her.

"Really that's the best you've got? Aristotle." Reilly smiled. She and Claude were testing how much they remembered in the weeks passed with each other. "Excuse me sir. But what do I call you?" Jack asked.

"You may call my Claude little one." Jack nodded. "Mr. Claude would you like to play football with us?" Jack smiled. Claude looked to Reilly who smiled and let him go off on his way to play with the others. After running around for a good hour Claude and the others finally came to sit down.

Reilly had been talking to Emily when the ball hit her in the back of the head. "Reilly are you okay?" Claude was coming toward them.

"If you want it back come catch me." She took off running in the other direction with the boys on her tail. Claude caught her and pulled her to the ground before he began to tickle her. "Stop. Stop." Reilly said between gasps. "Not till you say uncle." He continued to tickle her. "Uncle. Now get off." Claude helped her up and took the ball.

As Claude walked away Reilly could see his firm ass in his ripped blue jeans. She loved those jeans. Reilly ran up behind him a tapped him on the rear. "Ass tag your it." She laughed as she ran past the others. Claude ran to the nearest person.

"Sorry Hotch." Claude hit the man's back end. Hotch did nothing to let the game continue and Reilly frowned.

There was talking and laughing. A game of chase and two games of keep away before the sun began to set. "Come on Cher. One lap around the park won't hurt you." Claude told him.

What they had was a very beautiful thing. Jean-Claude felt he would never find anyone like the redheaded FBI agent again. Her quick wit and sharp eye. He'd never stayed up so long into the night just talking about everything and anything. From the grass to the sky. Spring wore into summer and life continued on. They seemed to make it work for them.

Jean-Claude was more then happy to join the team on get together or trips to the park and to the beach. It was seeing the woman he was in love with happy that made him smile. Summer worked its way into the fall and as the weather grew colder the couple grew even closer.

For thanksgiving Reilly had been invited to Jean-Claude's but she had already promised her family she would be home for the holiday. Now that her sister was getting her life back in order she was ready to go home and visit her family. The scars were there and wounds had healed into small scabs. But it was better.

.::*::.

It was after Christmas and well into the end of winter. The couple was cuddle up in bed sleeping while the outside world was turning green again. Reilly had just gotten back from a case and the team was promised a weekend to rest up. Jean-Claude picked her up from the BAU and brought her back to his place.

They had a late dinner before settling in for bed and enjoying each other's company. It had been raining that night one of those early spring late winter rain's where a heavy jacket was needed. But neither felt a need to get out of bed. They listened to the rain and watched the other sleep. Soft kisses and touches were passed between the two.

Reilly could feel Jean-Claude's butterfly kisses on her cheek and neck. "Good afternoon to you too." She turned to face him.

"I'm not hungry but are you?" Jean-Claude asked. "No. But I want to go out into the rain." Reilly smiled. She threw the covers back and found her shoes. "Why would you go running in the rain?" Jean-Claude asked.

"Because it gives us a reason to come back and not leave the bed even longer." Reilly kissed Jean-Claude's lips before dashing out of the room and down the hall through the living room and out the front door. Jean-Claude was not far behind his beloved redhead.

You couldn't see anything in the rain but you feel the earth soak up the water. Jean-Claude could see Reilly standing in the rain. Her head pointing top the sky and arms out stretched to it as she stood on her toes. "Rain, rain don't go away please stay another day." She smiled. Raindrops ran over her eyes, cheeks and lips.

The thunder started to roll causing both to smile. "Come on we're soaking wet and in need of getting warm." The hot water chased the worst of the chill away until they lay back in bed for the night. It was early when the call came in. Just a little after five in the morning. "Why are they calling you? They promised you the weekend it's only Saturday Cher." Jean-Claude said.

Reilly talked to JJ for a minute and nodded grimly as she fell back on the pillows. "It's a bad one and the Orders come from Strauss I have to go." Reilly pushed the covers away and went to stand. The Louisiana native pulled her back onto the mattress. "I don't want you to." Jean-Claude kissed the nape of her neck.

"I'll be back I promise. I'll come back and it'll be the two of us."

"Fine. Call me when you touch down."

Reilly dressed and grabbed her go bag from by the door before heading out to her car. They had picked it up at some point. But cutting the weekend two days short was not going over well in her head.

"Alright I'm here let's go." Reilly said as she walked onto the plane.

Everyone looked at bit tired and out of place.

Five women rapped and killed with in a two-week period. All different backgrounds and races but the same body type. Slime, tall and perfect health. They were not dealing with a single unsub, no this was a multi-unsub case and how they were going to track these people down and bring them to justice was the hard part.

.::*::.

"Been sniffing around to much girl. How much do you know?" A man had a blade to her throat.

Reilly looked him in the eyes. His breath smelled like alcohol and smoke. "Don't kill her yet she's got a pretty body." A second man came from the left. "I don't want the brunette. But we haven't have a redhead yet."

"Reilly! Emily!" Morgan scream into the phone. He could hear voices but they were slightly muffled. He could hear the struggle as punches landed. The line suddenly cut off.

They found Emily still in the Alley knocked out from a blow to the back of her head that even left a bit of blood. "Emily can you hear me? Where's Reilly?" Hotch tried to help the woman sit up. "Took her. She fought." She shook her head trying to clear it.

.::*::.

Reilly woke up strapped to a chair. How cliché. "So the fire demon wakes?" Reilly could now see the face of her attacker.

"Piss off." She snarled.

"How much do you and those friends of yours know?" the man who seemed like the leader of the whole thing asked.

"We know that if you kill me and if you happened to kill the agent in the alley you'll be in prison till the end of time. They won't let you die I can promise you that. Or maybe they might just send you to the chair. When they get you in that chair you'll be begging for mercy." Reilly told him.

"We'll see who's begging a minute." The man smiled a devilish smile that made Reilly shiver from head to toe as she saw three other men advance on her.

"We've always wanted a redhead. You'll do just fine girly." The first to reach her grabbed the head of her head and pulled the hair at the root. Reilly hissed in pain. "Don't worry girl you even enjoy yourself." They laughed.


	9. Running away is sometimes the best answe

Reilly cried on the floor as she shivered. Her chest hurt as it heaved for air. "See she enjoyed every second of it." The last said as he zipped up his pants. "Leave her there. I might come back for her again."

.::*::.

"A man said he heard screaming come from an abandoned apartment building. Only thing is that area is highly populated with druggies and junkies alike." Cop told them. "Can't hurt to look." Rossi said looking at Hotch. "Alright."

.::*::.

Had subscribed to the beating and could feel herself slipping into the darkness of sleep. She couldn't she wouldn't let them win. Reilly flinched as she felt someone touch her.

"Not so brave now are you? What happened to that bite you had? They know you're a dead one." Reilly shook her head as she felt the hand move up her leg.

.::*::.

"Check the whole block. Start west head east. We know we're looking for multiple unsubs but how many we still don't know." Hotch instructed.

The chief turned to his men. "You heard him whole block move it." The graying headed chief told them.

.::*::.

"Boss there's cops and feds sniffing all up and down this street. Put the dress on her and end her now." One said.

"Damn waste." The man stood and kicked Reilly in the ribs. "Get the dress. Don't worry we'll make sure you die pretty."

.::*::.

"Hotch woman said she kept seeing three or four guys going in and out of this one building on the right side of the street." Emily told him. "Alright you, JJ and Reid keep checking the other buildings. The rest of us will check that one." Hotch told her.

"Four one on the right coming toward us." Emily told him.

Hotch; Morgan and Rossi were heading up the stairs when they heard the echoing of gunshots ringing off the walls. They moved faster and started checking some of the old apartments. Morgan kicked in the door and stopped for a brief second as he saw his friend in a bloody crumpled heap on the floor.

"Reilly can you hear me? I need a medic!" he called over his shoulder. "Reilly look at me. Stay with me okay we're gonna get you help." Morgan told her. Reilly was slipping fast. "Damn it." Morgan holstered his gun and picked Reilly up.

Blood started to spill out of the corner of her mouth. Reilly stared choking on the blood that was build in her chest as Morgan got her out of the door. EMTs came rushing over with a gurney. "Reilly wake up for me. Look at me Reilly. Don't give up on me pal." Morgan told her.

Three of the four men had been captured. All three sold the last one out.

.::*::.

Reilly suffered seven broken ribs, internal bruising, as well as internal bleeding and a punctured/ collapsed lung. By the time the team was finally allowed to see her no one could do it without feeling tears prickling their eyes or a painful clenching in their stomachs. Reilly was hooked up to various machines and tubes and wires were sitting on the bed. It had been a week already and she hadn't woken up yet. But she was conscious enough to fight the machine.

"Your just in time. We're taking her off the breathing apparatus. She was fighting it last night from what my nurses told me. Just wait out here we'll be done in just a few minutes." The doctor told them.

A few minutes later doctor came out and nodded waving the team in. Reilly was awake in the sense of the word. Her eyes were open but barely. She didn't blink nor did she seem to notice anyone's presents. "Reilly how are you feeling?" Emily asked.

Nothing. She didn't talk, blink or even look in the direction of the one speaking. "Get the doctor." Reid told them. Everyone was sent out of the room. When the doctor came out twenty minutes later they all looked to him for an explanation.

"Your friend wants to live, she does. But she's into much pain to do so on her own and started to quit. This by no means says she is suicidal she's in pain and in another week or so we can take off when the pain is not so great. She'll be moved to a more local hospital in your area by that time." The doctor told them.

A week later Reilly was moved to a hospital in D.C. closer to home and to the team. Garcia was the first one up to see her and when she did she tried not to cry. She read to Reilly and talked to her. A week later Reilly was sitting up in bed but it was not her doing. She did not respond to the voices and sounds of others. Doctors, nurses and the team all came and went but they got the same results.

Garcia came into the room on Saturday with a radio in hand. She plugged it up and turned to Reilly's favorite station but the redhead did not move. She sat and stared. Until a song started to play.

Silence  
>Stretching out between us<br>I dream of a presence  
>With essence<br>And absence of doubt

Come closer  
>Come and stay with me now<br>Help me reconcile  
>Come and stay a while<p>

Reilly started to cry and curled in on herself. She pulled away from all who tried to comfort her. Garcia turned off the radio and left. Reilly sat in the hospital for another day before she could take it no longer. Unhooking herself from the various machines Reilly slipped out of the bed well after midnight. The halls were darkened expect for the nurses station but there was only one nurse there and she was not paying attention.

Reilly slipped into a supply closest and found an extra pair of scrubs to wear. Reilly hailed a cab after walking out a back door. Her house was darkened. Reilly found her spare house key and took it out of the dirt. If she remembered correctly the team had gone to her house everyday to feed and water both Duchess and the houseplants. Duchess met her at the door.

The redhead however could think of on one thing she had to do. Reilly scrubbed her skin under the scolding hot water. Careful of her open wound where they had inserted a tube into her chest she washed her skin till it was red and raw. She cried and apologized to the four walls for someone who would not hear her. 

Reilly dressed herself and threw a few items into a travel backpack. She had gotten it in New Mexico when she was in about seventh grade. Reilly walked into the front hall of her house on the table sat her. Reilly grabbed her wallet, gun and keys before locking the house up again. She made it to the end of the block before she turned back to the house and let herself in again.

By the time the team would be alerted of her disappearance Reilly would be over the state line.

.::*::.

"What do you mean she is missing? How do you lose a patient?" Hotch asked. "She's gone sir and by the looks of she left of her own free will. That's something we have no say in. She could have left in the middle of the day if she wished.

Hotch's phone began to ring. "Hotch It's JJ I'm at Reilly's place she was here. There's note from her ask well. You better get here." Hotch told her for them to wait.

When Hotch arrived the team sat on the porch waiting. JJ handed him the letter.

Dear Everyone,

By this time the hospital has told you I'm not there and by the time you find this I'll be over state lines. I have to think and I can't do that in a hospital. I don't know where I'm going. I'll be back I swear when I don't know but you'll know. Look after the house for me while I'm gone. Don't worry about me I can take care of myself.

JJ I ask but one favor of you. Please give Jean-Claude the envelope for me. Take care everyone.

Reid was the first to get up and leave for his car. The others could do nothing and went on to the BAU. It was a quiet few days.

.::*::.

Rossi called Theo, Reilly older brother, to see what they were really in for. "Hello?" the Mercer son answered.

"Hi Theo. This is Agent Rossi. I work with your sister we met about a year ago." Rossi told him. "Yes I remember you. Is something wrong? Is Reilly okay?" You could hear the dread in his voice.

"As far as I know she is." Rossi said.

"What do you mean?"

"Your sister was kidnapped and suffered many injuries a few weeks ago. For the last two weeks she has been in the hospital. But as of this morning she is no longer there. They don't know here she went. She left us a note at her house with no clue as to where sh-"

Theo cut Rossi off. "She'll come back when she's ready. This isn't the first time she's run off somewhere." Theo told him.

"She's done this before?" Rossi said in a shocked manner. "Yes. When she was fifteen. My sister had a hard time in high school and she just ran off. We were all so worried about her and when she came back she was healthy again. She had cleared her mind and set everything right. She was the Reilly we all loved again. Just leave her be and she'll come home when she's ready." Theo explained.

"Thank you Theo." Theo said good-bye and hung up. Rossi went to Hotch and told him what the oldest Mercer child had told him.

.::*::.

After three days Reilly had found her way into Ohio. She was walking down a road on each side of her fields of corn. The sky was a deep gray with Promises of rain as the thunder rolled in the distance. Reilly pulled her hood up and continued to walk down the road. She could seek shelter in a diner.

Reilly just made it when the rain started to pour down. "What can I get you dear?" the waitress a sixty something year old woman, with graying curly hair and kind brown eyes asked.

"Glass of water and milk and five stack of pancakes and half a dozen eggs please." Reilly told her. The woman wrote it down and handed it off to the cook. Reilly sat to the far end of the counter. Twenty minutes later a plate dropped in front of her and she thanked the waitress before attacking it.

"You just out of the pen?" the woman asked.

"Hospital." Reilly told her. Reilly ate until everything was gone. The waitress looked at her and noticed how pale she was. The way her brows were knitted together as if she were in pain. Reilly looked out the door. "Not going to make it far walking in that weather. I can get you a ride if you need it." The woman said.

"Really?" Reilly didn't care where she was headed she just wanted gone. The waitress nodded. "Tommy got room for a passenger?" the waitress called to the end of the diner. A large man looked up from his cup of coffee and looked at Reilly. "Yeah I got room. She payin'?" Reilly nodded hesitantly.

.::*::.

The driver was headed to Houston, Texas for a hundred bucks he would take Reilly to state line. They had reached Tulsa, Oklahoma before Reilly's chest started to hurt a bit. More then what it had in the beginning. Tommy looked at her as she grew paler and her jaw clenched.

"Hey you alright?" Tommy asked glancing at Reilly then to the road. "Yeah. Keep driving. I'm fine." Reilly said. They had barely made it over Texas state line before Reilly's breathing had turned ragged and Tommy took her to a Clinic after she fell asleep.

.::*::.

"Ms. Mercer can you hear me?" someone was snapping their fingers in her ears. Reilly opened her eyes and looked around.

"Your in a health Clinic Ms. Mercer. I'm doctor Jennings you were brought in yesterday by a man named Tommy. You are very lucky to be alive right now. I have your records that tell me you are from D.C. and that you have recently suffered a punctured/ collapsed lung. Do you know that by leaving the hospital when you did you were on the verge of it collapsing again?" Jennings asked.

Reilly looked at the doctor.

"You're lucky. A Mr. Hotchner has said he'd be here by 2:30 to 3 this afternoon to pick you up and accompany you back home." Jennings told her. "We found your ID badge and called for your medical records. They gave us this contact."

"How long before Hotch gets here?" Reilly asked.

"About another Hour and a half. Rest up till then you'll need it if you're flying back. Your things are through there if you wish to change now." Jennings said before leaving the room. Reilly wasn't staying for anything. Reilly changed and put on her sneakers. She found a piece of paper and pen and scribed down a note for Hotch before placing it on the bed and climbing out the window.

Reilly dropped five feet and slowly made her way down the street without anyone noticing her. Not far behind her was Hotch arriving at the clinic to collect her. "Through that door Mr. Hotchner." A nurse smiled at him. Hotch knocked on the door then entered the room. A breeze blew through the window and the note Reilly had left for him fell to the floor.

Hotch picked it up and started to read over it.

Sorry for the goose chase but you didn't think I would really come back so soon, did you? This was just a minor set back. I will come back when I'm ready. I can't stay there Hotch I can't. I have to get over this my way and I can't do that being poked and prodded. I can't think with all that noise and everyone asking me if I'm all right and how I'm doing. Damn it I'm not all right. I'm in pain and hurting and I'm not going to lie for everyone's benefit. I just want to process everything to think everything over and be left alone.

You want to know how I'm doing well I'm not doing fine. I can't listen to them or the sounds of the hospital. To much noise to many sounds. I need to be somewhere I can think and being around you guys isn't helping. I'm sorry. I'll be swear I swear and there is nothing to worry about I can take care of myself.

Reilly

Hotch sighed as he took the note and pocketed it. With a sad look at the window he left the clinic making a comment about locking windows from the outside or baring them so people couldn't escape.

.::*::.

Reilly made her way to Austin Texas before she stopped in a Starbucks. She'd been in the bathroom when gun Shots rang out. Reilly wanted to cower in the corner and let the cops handle it but she was a federal agent and there was no telling what could happen before the police got there.

Reilly pulled out her gun and checked the clip. She stepped out of the bathroom and into the main area. The man's back was to her as she placed the cold barrel to his head. "Drop the gun or I blow your brains out." She said with a calm that slightly unnerved her. Here she was over a hundreds of miles from home trying to find some peace in her mind about recent events yet still doing her job.

Why did it have to be her?

"Says who?" The man asked.

"FBI. Drop the gun put your hands on your head." The man swung around to punch her but as Reilly dropped to the floor she kicked his legs out from under him and kicked the gun away as it fell. The struggle was pointless as two larger men climbed on top of him. "Keep him there till the authorizes come." Reilly looked up and could see two squad cars pulling into the parking lot.

"Maybe you won't have to." Reilly kicked the fallen gun to the counter as the cops rushed in she slipped out.

.::*::.

JJ sat on her bed at home and flicked on the News.

"When we return: traveling FBI agents or a vigilante?" the news anchor asked. JJ grabbed her phone and text the team.

JJ: turn to channel six news right now. Don't ask questions just do. She hit send.

Everyone watched as a field reporter stood outside of the Starbucks in Austin Texas. "Today was not a normal day for this coffee chain as it was nearly robed today but thanks to an FBI agent they were able to get out of this unschaved. The woman described to me earlier was said to be a redheaded woman about five nine with a slight build. People say she came out of the bathroom gun drawn and took over from there." He said.

"She's not there now?" they all looked a bit shocked.

"No. After two men helped secure the would-be-robber no one saw her leave. But I can tell you the people are grateful she was here today. Back to you."

The entire team watched in silence.

Reilly's chest hurt. More so her ribs than her lungs. Why did she butt in?

"That's right because you have a duty to the nation. Should have listened to your damn mother." Reilly berated herself as she pulled out her card and placed it into the ATM. Placing the money in her pocket she headed for a tiny motel and much needed sleep.

But sleep was not going to grace her. Reilly didn't sleep She cried silently and sat up with the lights on for a better part of the night. It wasn't until the first rays of light came through Reilly was so exhausted dreams nor nightmares graced her.

_Dear Claude,_

_First off I'm sorry I'm doing this with a letter. You deserve better then this Claude you do. I'm moving back home my old job is offering me more then what the BAU can, I'm taking it. Forget about me Claude find someone better for you. I did, do, love you. I'm sorry. But sometimes things happen that bring people together and that take them apart. What we had was amazing but you'll find someone better._

_Yours always_

_Reilly_

Claude sat up and looked at the empty space in his bed. He missed the warmth in it next to him. Everywhere he went reminded him of her. The park, book store, and the back yard. How they used to read to each other and speak French. Sharing little secrets. Claude slept in the living room.

Food had no taste and colors were dull. He found himself dealing with heartbreak. True Reilly had her flaws and her quirks but it was those flaws and quirks he loved best about her. Claude stood at the fire place and threw the tickets into the flames of the fire.

The air was dry as Reilly reached New Mexico. She'd made it now if she had been smart she would have stocked up on some food and water before going. The desert road was long Reilly listened to everything as she walked. She had forgotten the world and the earth around her to trap herself in her mind and think when the truck engine brought her out of her head.

"Now what's a little woman like you doing way out here?" The driver of the truck was an older woman of sixty of so with gray hair. Her faces held the wisdom and age of someone who had seen a lot. "Get in." The woman told her. Reilly walked to the other side of the pick up and got in.

"Where are you from?" the woman asked.

"D.C." Reilly answered.

"You got a name?" the woman asked. Her eyes were traveling over the road as she spoke. "My name is Reilly but you can call me Rem." She said.

"Well Rem my name is Eva and I live out here alone. As far as I know I am the only one who lives out here for a five mile radius. Question is what is a woman like you doing walking through the desert so far from home?" Eva asked.

"I'm trying to sort myself out. Things are to hard back home and I needed to clear my mind. Walking out here was the first idea I had." Reilly shared. "You know being this age teaches you how to read people. It teaches you how to read when a person is really thinking of running away and never looking back." Eva told her.

Reilly had been tossing the idea to up and leave the BAU all together. Change her name and move to a place where no one knew her name. "Okay you got me. I want to but I don't. I want to break my promise. I said I would be back but I don't think I can face them. Not after what happened." Reilly hung her head.

"Well your coming back with me. You look like you could use a good meal and some sleep. You're to thin and look like a wind could blow you over." Eva told her. The woman spoke her mind. The drive continued and as it did Reilly fell asleep. When she woke up they were pulling up a dirt road.

"A woman accepts the battle she's gone through and continues with the rest of it. A woman also bares scars but they will heal and fade with time if she doesn't pick them and leave them open." Eva told her. Reilly thought about it. Eva was right and Reilly knew she couldn't hide from it. She had to keep going with her life.

Reilly showered, ate and got some sleep. A few days later she was on the road. Again. Reilly's inner battle with herself wasn't looking to great. But she kept Eva's words in her head.

A woman accepts the battle she's gone through and continues with the rest of it. A woman also bares scars but they will heal and fade with time if she doesn't pick them and leave them open.

Reilly kept those words in her head as she walked up high ways and hitched rides. From diner to diner and state to state.


	10. the return

Everyone had been in the office from a case two or three days ago. Cases hadn't been the same and everyone in the side of their brains worried about Reilly. No one had seen or heard from the redheaded agent since she disappeared nearly two months ago. JJ had just walked back out into the bullpen when she stopped at the person walking in.

The woman walking in had her color back to her skin and her eyes were bright and alert like they should have been. The hair was short, very short a pixie cut really. (A/N: look up a picture of Emma Watson with her pixie cut and that's Reilly's hair length.) She had a bag over her shoulder but was dressed for work.

"Hey." The woman smiled.

"Reilly." Garcia jumped up and attacked the woman in a hug. "Hey to you to Penny." Morgan got up and stood in front of the woman. Reilly extended her hand to him and the man smiled and shook it. Both Rossi and Hotch came forth and received hand shakes and hellos. Emily hugged the redhead and made a joke about her hair Reid however stood back and looked on at them.

"Hey Reid." Reilly gave him a nervous grin.

Reid didn't say anything but he waved. Reid didn't know what to think of the woman now. Reilly was taken into Hotch's office and Rossi went with them. She kept her distance from them.

"That was a stupid thing of you to do." Hotch said.

"Before you really start screaming at me let me tell you this much: I know it was wrong to up and leave the way I did. Just be happy I didn't pull a Reichenbach falls. But it was the only way I could sort it out in my head. I knew that if I stayed here and everyone kept asking me if I was alright I would lie to you and say I was fine. If you lie enough then you tart to believe it yourself. And I couldn't do that to myself a second time. So I did what I could and left to figure it out in my head." Reilly told him.

"What about Texas?" Hotch questioned.

"Minor set back. I was able to get away wasn't I?" Reilly smirked at the older man.

"What happened at the Starbucks?" Rossi asked.

"Crap that made News?" Reilly hung her head.

"Yeah it did. What happened?" Hotch asked.

"I was in the bathroom when the shots went off. I wanted so badly to forget what I was and what my occupation was but I couldn't I had to do something before someone got hurt so I handled it." Reilly said.

After a good half Hour Reilly stepped out of the office. "Welcome back kiddo." Rossi told her stepping back to his office. Reilly nodded at Hotch and went to her desk. It wasn't long before Garcia tried to kidnap her. Taking her into the lioness den she sat the woman down and turned to her.

"What happened?" Garcia glared. It was uncharacteristic for the woman to do so but she was both happy and angry to see her friend again.

"I had to leave Garcia. I had to think. I love you guys to death but I couldn't lie to you about how I was really feeling. If I started telling you that I was okay then I would believe it and I'd be hurting and telling myself that I was okay so I could get out of the bed in the morning. I did it once and nearly landed myself in the hospital not again." Reilly hung her head.

"This has happened before? You running away or you being kidnapped?"

"Running. When I was in high school I got this idea in my head that I was fat and ugly so I stopped eating food. I would skip meals and starve myself for days. I started to lose weight but I collapsed in school they called an ambulance and I went to the hospital. This was when my relationship with my sister started to go bad. We tried to get me back on track but my sister thought I was doing it to get attention. She left me collapsed in the hallway. I was to weak and they sent me to some rehab thing for people with eating disorders. I hated it there. Just like I hated in the hospital with everyone asking me if I was okay. So I grabbed my clothes and left. People helped. I met a few interesting folks on the road. Funny too. I knew what it felt like to be homeless. I knew what it was like to have hurting feet. But I got everything together and I started eating. I met this little old woman she was all alone in her house she helped me out a lot in exchange for me doing some cooking and cleaning around the house. She died and that was when I went home. But I'd never forget that woman." Reilly smiled at the memory.

Garcia looked at her friend. There was something different about her. Something was missing. A bit of the spark and fire she held in her eyes like a broken horse in the old west. Reilly was there but that full spark was n longer there.

"What about Jean-Claude?" Garcia asked.

"I'd rather not talk about him. Please. I better get to work." Reilly had a sad face as she left the woman's office and bumped into Reid.

"Sorry Reid." She told the genius.

"Don't talk to me." He said with a slight sneered look on his face.

"Reid what's wrong?" Reilly asked.

"Nothing." The man walked off out of sight.

.::*::.

Reilly had been back for a week and the tense behavior between the two agents continued. Everyone else had slowly gotten use to having the redhead around again. Like nothing ever happened. "Alright we got a case everyone get ready to leave for the jet in half an hour. It's a missing child we have 18 hours let's move." Hotch told them.

On the jet JJ briefed them and Hotch sent everyone in pairs to look and question people in the neighborhood. Reilly was paired up with Reid and the man refused to speak to her. Reilly finally got sick of it and grabbed the man's shoulder spinning him around to face her.

"What the hell is your damn problem with me?" Reilly nearly growled.

"Why'd you come back? If you were going to run away you should have stayed gone we were fine before you came and we were fine when you left." Reid told her.

"So what I'm a coward? Reid I had to go. Other wise I wouldn't be able to face myself in the morning. I'd turn into one of the people we are forced to find because they lost their grip on reality and going away to sort myself out was the only was I could do that." Reilly explained.

Reid thought of how Gideon left with nothing but a good-bye note. Not a call or letter after that. He was gone and never turned back around.

"Damn it Spencer what do you want from me?" she shouted at him. "I was raped." She told him. Reid looked at her with shock in his eyes. The Doctor had not told them the full extent of her injuries. They knew of the gun shot wounds and the lung and the ribs. Of course there was internal bleeding and bruising but that was left out.

"I wanted to go and run Reid. To go and stay gone. See the states maybe the world. But I didn't want to stay. But the thing about that is if you lie to other people you believe that lie yourself. I won't tell you the story of what happened but I came back. I have a job to do and I won't let people down or other people get hurt. Now get your skinny ass in the car we have a kid to find." Reilly told him

.::*::.

On the jet everything was silent and quiet. Reid had snuck on a cupcake from a local bakery and slipped over to Reilly.

"Sorry I was an ass." Reid said. "So you think a cupcake is going to fix everything?" she asked.

"It could be a start." Reid gave his usual smile. Reilly smiled back at the man and tried to evenly break the cupcake in half to share with the man.

.::*::.

Reilly would slowly find her place in the team again but it was not the same after a few weeks. Ladies nights' were no longer the quartet but the old trio. Reilly couldn't bring herself to go back to bars or clubs. She couldn't stand the sight of them. They always made her see flashbacks of that night.

Reilly did not shake the hands of men and stayed a distance away from them. No one said anything but it was obvious and it wasn't the same being in bar without your friend. It was like a sit-com where the funny character dies or moves far away and everyone is trying to come to terms with the lose.

.::*::.

The only ones who ever really saw Jean-Claude after the 'Disappearance' of Reilly were JJ and Will. She told Claude that Reilly was doing just fine back home. That she called when she had the chance. JJ knew both were miserable but she stayed silent about it.

She'd never seen two people so perfect for each other be so close together and not even really know it. They had come so close to meeting once. Will had asked Claude to drop something off to JJ since he worked in that direction. Reilly had just made it into the bathroom and when she stepped out Claude was on his way down to the lobby again.

.::*::.

"Come one just one night. It's a small bar a friend of mine works there." Emily begged.

"You know I don't like bars or clubs." Reilly protested. It had been six or seven months since her return. The girls begged her for two more hours before she finally gave in and said she would go.

Reilly stayed close to them and to the bar. She was not comfortable with it at all. True the bar was small but it seemed like Thursday nights were the nights to be out and about if you could spare it. Reilly tried to calm down and even had a few strong shots of alcohol but she could not stop the shaking in her hands.

"Hey sweet thing." A man came over to her. Reilly pulled away. "Get away from me." She headed to the other end of the bar and placed her head in her hands. The bar tender who, had been watching tapped her shoulder to get her attention but it only made Reilly jump up.

Reilly went out the back door with Emily, JJ and Garcia following after her. "Don't touch me just stay away from me and leave me alone." Reilly left them there that night for the safe comfort of her home. She didn't show up to work the next day but was present the following Monday.

Bars and clubs were definitely a no go.


	11. Chapter 11

Before the team knew it a whole year had gone by and Reilly had stopped caring about her hair. It had started to grow back at a fast pace and by the end of the second after her return it was already at her shoulder blades again. Reilly never went to clubs or bars if the case ever called for it the others would see to the club scene.

Reilly was always going back to her place and there was always something missing. It was obvious that the woman was missing one thing in her life. The only true love of her life. Garcia saw this when they had gone to the bookstore Reilly looked longingly at a couple sitting on a couch together reading.

.::*::.

Jean-Claude had gone grocery shopping when he thought he had seen a red headed beauty with a slim build and looked like his beloved redhead. Jean-Claude went to the one person he knew would listen, his long time friend Will. It pained Will to see his friend still ache over the woman who was so close yet still far away.

.::*::.

Garcia waltzed into the bullpen with a smile on her face she was wearing warm autumn colors. It was early October and there was a slight chill in the fall air and it was pleasant to all who walked outside. "What's up Baby Girl?" Morgan asked looking at his long time happy-go-lucky friend.

"Who's up for some fun?" Garcia asked. Reilly put her head down thinking the fun would be the team hitting a bar or club after work for a few drinks and maybe a bit of dancing.

"What do you have in mind?" Emily asked.

"A costume ball is being held by a friend of mine. But there's a catch." Garcia said.

"I'm starting to like the sound of this." Rossi the oldest member of the team stated who had heard the team from in his office.

"Everyone is welcome to go and has to be in costume with a mask of some sort and you have to be silent and you cannot reveal your face till midnight." Garcia said. Reilly looked up again. "So let me get this straight: we go in masks and costume we can't talk nor can we reveal our faces till midnight. That sucks because then there's no real fun in it for us because we will easily spot each other." Reilly said.

"When is it?" Reid the youngest agent on the team jumped up.

"That's the spirit." Garcia smiled.

"Sign me up no telling what might happen." Morgan smirked.

"Have fun without me." Reilly told them. She didn't want to go. There would be no real fun. She couldn't do it. There would be no fun in it really. She'd go but she wouldn't be able to connect with anyone there.

"I'm kidnapping you, you are going. I know a guy who would be just perfect for you." Garcia said. "I'm not going. I will get on a plane and fly myself to Canada if I must." Reilly protested.

"If you don't go I'm posting a profile for you on every single online dating site I know. And that means quite a few." Everyone looked at the redheaded woman. Reilly looked down with defeat. "I hate you people."

"What do you mean you people?" Morgan asked.

"Morgan don't you start with me. Stop watching Tropic Thunder." Reilly told him. She regretted showing him that movie. She had only watched it because Robert Downey Jr. was one of her favorite actors. "You're an idiot." Reilly smiled.

.::*::.

They did have a case before Halloween. One that put a chill down everyone's spine. But having something fun to look forward to was a reason to smile. "If you don't come out of that room I'm walking into that room and dragging you out myself." Emily said.

Reilly slipped on her mask and walked out of her bedroom. They had gathered a the woman's house to get dressed for the evening. Eve had chosen a new dress to wear that night. Like her other one this one was lace back and it went from red to black. Her necklace stood out against her chest. Black earrings flickered in strands of red hair. This was a woman who planned to make heads turn.

Reilly opened the door with a smile. "Better for you? I had to get my gun on." Reilly explained. "Your gun?"

"Yup and badge." Reilly told JJ. A horn sounded outside. "The boys are here." Garcia called to them. Each woman lifted the hems of their dresses and went down stairs. Reilly was the last one out as she turned out the lights and locked the door. Already in the SUV JJ looked at Garcia. "Are you sure he's going to show up after we arrive?" JJ asked.

"Yeah. He and Will are going to meet us there." Garcia said. Reilly got into the SUV.

"Well I must say you ladies look lovely tonight." Rossi complimented them as they got out of the SUV having reached their destination.

"Remember no talking ladies and gentlemen. No revealing until midnight. But until then drink, dance and be merry play a trick or two if you so wish there a people monitoring the room. If they see you talk they escort you out." The woman on stage told them.

Everyone was dancing and sitting together. Reilly saw the tall thin yet muscled man walk up to her. His eyes were a beautiful blue. He presented his hand to her. Reilly took it and let him walk her into a dance. It was one of those group dances where you moved fast and switched partners.

They danced and circled around each other and others. But the dance ended and they found themselves in each other's arms. Reilly pulled away from the man. His touch was to inviting and how she craved the touch of another to feel warm and safe again. She wanted that again but she didn't want to risk getting hurt again.

Reilly found herself in the bathroom staring at her in the mirror. Where did that fire go? Where was the woman she had been? Was she so afraid that she had to question everything? Even on cases she thinks of what the fathers and husbands and brothers of the victims can do if they so wanted. It sent chilling shivers down her spine in a fearful way.

Reilly reined it in and told herself to stow that part of her. Just for a few more hours.

The gentleman she had danced with did not disappear for long. He soon appeared with a drink in hand for her. They were soon dancing around each other in swirls of body language. Slight touches, nods and smiles.

"Alright everyone ten minutes to midnight. Find that someone who managed to woo you tonight for the big unveiling." The woman on stage smiled as she looked at everyone looking around. Reilly was going to go find the others but the man she had been dancing with that night caught her hand.

She could see the look in his eyes. He wanted to see what she looked like under her mask. Reilly wouldn't lie she wanted to see the man's face as well. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." The countdown ended and masks came off. Some laughed, some cheered, Reilly stared in shock at the man before her.

"Claude." Reilly grabbed her skirts to hike them up a bit to run away from him. She barely made it out the door in the crowed of people. The others who had been keeping an eye on them were about to follow but Garcia stopped them.

"They need this time alone. She needs this time alone with him." Garcia told them.

.::*::.

"Cher wait." Jean-Claude called after her.

"Go away this wasn't suppose to happen Claude go home you didn't see me okay. Right now I don't exist go back inside and have fun but you never saw me." Reilly called to him.

Claude grabbed Reilly's shoulder the redheaded woman jerked away from him and reached for her gun under her skirts but did not draw it. "Cher what is this about? I get a letter saying your never coming back. Yet here you are. Where were you really? I missed you like hell and my heart broke when you were gone." Claude told her.

"Claude like I said forget you saw me and forget I exist and move on." Reilly said.

"Why can't I have an explanation? I deserve that much Cher. I loved you I still love you. I want to be with you."

"How could you want to be with me? I'm nothing now Claude I don't even want to be with myself let alone have to see everyday what is left of what once was. I'm not what I once was." Reilly spoke as if she had aged twenty years. She might as well have.

Claude stood speechless as Reilly took her chance to hale a cab on the busy street and leave. Reilly got home and didn't make it far before she fell to her knees in tears. It wasn't fair.

.::*::.

Despite everyone feeling a bit run down he or she all showed up to work. Morgan bragged about the three numbers he had gotten to Reid. Emily stood by and rolled her eyes with a smile. Hotch shook his head as he sat in his office. Garcia smiled at her co-workers but she did not meet the eyes of the redhead.

The glare from the woman was clearly directed to the plump woman. Reilly got up from her desk and if there was ever a time to feel like you were in one of those old western movies where you run inside and close the shutters it was now. The look in her eyes was intimidating to even Morgan it reminded him of when his mother was mad at them when they misbehaved.

Reilly took Garcia by the arm and led her out of the bullpen. Reilly took them into the bathroom and checked the stalls before locking the door. Looking at the bottom of the door she checked to see if anyone was listening.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Reilly turned on the woman. Garcia said nothing. "Do you have any idea what you've done? I gave him that letter telling him exactly what I wanted you had no right to tell him where I was. Don't tell me it wasn't you. I know very well it was your idea Garcia. I trusted you and now I'm hurting more then ever." Reilly told her. Reilly glanced and the door and slammed her hand on it to give the people standing on the other side a warning.

"That's why I did it. You and him have a connection why not get back together with him. You love him and you know it." Garcia protested.

"I don't care how much I love him. He won't want to be with me once he knows. I'm not something to be had anymore. Those nightmares we have from working this job I now see myself as the victim. How can he want to be with me when I barely want to be myself? I almost gave up but I didn't because other people need my help. I'm here to do my job not fall in love." Reilly left out the bathroom glaring at those who had the nerve to wait by the door and try to listen.

Reilly was in a foul mood for the following days. Days turned into weeks. No one tried to speak to her but Hotch or Rossi but even then those were orders. But it made things hard on the team when you weren't sure how your co-worker would react when they were in a mood that made you fear when it wasn't even directed at you.

"Hey Kiddo let me talk to you for a few minutes before you head out." Rossi said waving Reilly into his office. Reilly sat down on the couch.

"So what's the problem? You haven't been like yourself for quite sometime." Rossi said.

"Don't do it Rossi. Al long as the job gets done it doesn't matter. People are safe the bad guy goes behind bars and I go home." Reilly said as she opened the office door to walk out.

"Just because of what happened doesn't mean that you don't deserve love." Rossi said. Reilly looked at him over her should and continued out the door for home. Hotch managed to catch her in the parking lot.

"Reilly I didn't want to do this but I'm suspending you for the next months time. I don't want to see you in here until after New Year. While your gone I want you to attend these meetings. I'll know if you don't. If you don't, well then, I'm firing you." Hotch handed her the pamphlet and left.

Reilly headed for the first liquor store she could find and bought a six-pack of beer before heading home and letting herself slip into a drunken pity feast. It was a week before she finally got up from her bed, showered, dressed and headed for her first rape victims meeting.

If she ever wanted to see the field again she would have to go.

The circle was large and the meeting had already started. "Ah a new comer. Please come in have a seat we always welcome people who need support." The woman went to bring her into the group circle Reilly took to sitting on top of a desk and crossing her legs while listening to the other women speak about what happened and how they felt.

"How about you? Would you like to share?" the woman who had greeted her asked.

"No." Reilly said. The meeting was obviously over and Reilly was the first to leave. They met again the next day and Reilly again did not speak. It went on for a week. "How about something from our FBI agent?" the woman who seemed to be the leader or director of this meeting asked.

"Look I don't want to be here I have no problem with what happened to me and I don't need to talk about it. I'm only here so I can go back to work." Reilly told them.

"But you'll find it easier if you talk about. That's what this is. You share with us what happened and slowly begin to heal over it." The woman said. Reilly learned that her name was Cara.

"You hold a lot of anger and you're here because your team in worried about you. If you let this go on to long it will slowly destroy you." Cara continued.

"Don't do that. I know what happened to me other people know what happened to me. It's my own private hell and I plan to keep it that way. No one said I had to say anything and I won't. It's bad enough I have nightmares now I suddenly need to tell other people what happened to me. I will not hold it against the rest of you who have come here but I don't need this." Reilly left.

She didn't return for a week. Simply for the fact of she was going to stop going all together. But the visit from Hotch said otherwise. "If you don't figure out how to deal with this Reilly I'm signing the paper work. Yes I have it all filled out. It's been going on for more then a year it needs to end." Hotch didn't think it would carry this far. Even Reid had gotten over his problem sooner.

The deadline stayed to January 10th. Reilly went to her meeting on December 17th.

When they finally came down to Reilly she sighed and then took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm an FBI agent I help save other people from this. Sometimes we're to late and sometimes we wind up the victims that time I was the victim. It was a group rape of four men and they nearly killed me." Reilly told them. Wide eyes went around the circle as they looked at her.

No one had come close to death. Reilly went on further explaining her injuries and how she fled from the hospital and what she had though of herself and how she couldn't go back to the man she had left. But the time January second rolled around Reilly felt slightly better but it still didn't remove the pain of what had been done.

"You don't have to shun a man's touch because of what happened. I was raped before I met my husband and for a long time I was scared of men. But he changed that he tells me everyday that I am worth something. That I am worthy of love and worthy of him. Just because something like this happens to you don't mean you have to give up on love." Cara told them.

A few other women nodded in agreement.

When the meeting was over a large woman stopped her. "There's still some suppressed anger in you isn't there? Like you need to punch something throw out a few kicks?" the woman asked.

"Your Billie right?" Reilly asked. That's what the woman went by. He real name was Rebecca but she liked being called Billie rather then Becky. She had a husband and two beautiful baby girls when she had been attacked six months ago. Her husband and her family had been the bigger support for her but the meetings helped.

"Meet me at Mark's boxing center today at three if you can. It's on Fleet street." Billie told her. Reilly nodded. How bad could a bit of boxing be?

.::*::.

Reilly found the boxing club and Billie was waiting for her. "You made it. Come on we gotten wrap your hands before we start." Billie told her. Reilly changed her clothes and let Billie wrap her hands and give her a pair of gloves to go.

"So being from the FBI I know you gotta throw a pretty hard punch or have some training when it comes to taking down suspects." Billie said.

"I do."

"Then have at it. Let all your anger go on that punching bag." Billie instructed. Reilly looked at it and removed the gloves. Throwing the first few she threw a couple more before kicking at it. "That's it apply the training." Billie told her. Reilly finally stopped and looked at Billie.

"They don't go easy on you guys. I though training as a cop was hard." Billie smiled.

"That's what you do?" Reilly asked.

"Yup. I've been one for seven years. Training is no joke." Billie said as she had her go at the bag. Some of these guys really think they can take on a woman of six feet. My husband stands at six; six and he still can't believe I'm this tall without my heels. It's funny really." Billie said.

"Hey Billie!" a man called to her. "Hi Jack. Jack this is a friend of mine Reilly. Reilly this is Jack the owner." Billie told her.

"But it's called Mark's." Reilly pointed out.

"Mark is my father. He started this place back when he was a younger man now I run it in his name and his honor." Jack smiled. "Billie you coming to the next boxing match?" Jack asked.

"Nah I've gotta work. Maybe Reilly can make it." Billie looked to the redhead.

"No I can't." Reilly said.

They talked for a bit longer and the two women went to get changed. They would have an early dinner before heading home. "Hey Reilly." Jack jogged up to them as they were walking out the door. "You look like you would be a pretty good bare knuckles boxing. It's painful but fun we have a woman's league here come back after the New Year and I can give you some more information." Jack told her.

"Alright Jack. I'll see you then." Reilly left with Billie. Heading home she figured it was time to pack for her parents place. Whatever Christmas parties they were having she wasn't going to attend. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


	12. Chapter 12

Before the team knew it a whole year had gone by and Reilly had stopped caring about her hair. It had started to grow back at a fast pace and by the end of the second after her return it was already at her shoulder blades again. Reilly never went to clubs or bars if the case ever called for it the others would see to the club scene.

Reilly was always going back to her place and there was always something missing. It was obvious that the woman was missing one thing in her life. The only true love of her life. Garcia saw this when they had gone to the bookstore Reilly looked longingly at a couple sitting on a couch together reading.

.::*::.

Jean-Claude had gone grocery shopping when he thought he had seen a red headed beauty with a slim build and looked like his beloved redhead. Jean-Claude went to the one person he knew would listen, his long time friend Will. It pained Will to see his friend still ache over the woman who was so close yet still far away.

.::*::.

Garcia waltzed into the bullpen with a smile on her face she was wearing warm autumn colors. It was early October and there was a slight chill in the fall air and it was pleasant to all who walked outside. "What's up Baby Girl?" Morgan asked looking at his long time happy-go-lucky friend.

"Who's up for some fun?" Garcia asked. Reilly put her head down thinking the fun would be the team hitting a bar or club after work for a few drinks and maybe a bit of dancing.

"What do you have in mind?" Emily asked.

"A costume ball is being held by a friend of mine. But there's a catch." Garcia said.

"I'm starting to like the sound of this." Rossi the oldest member of the team stated who had heard the team from in his office.

"Everyone is welcome to go and has to be in costume with a mask of some sort and you have to be silent and you cannot reveal your face till midnight." Garcia said. Reilly looked up again. "So let me get this straight: we go in masks and costume we can't talk nor can we reveal our faces till midnight. That sucks because then there's no real fun in it for us because we will easily spot each other." Reilly said.

"When is it?" Reid the youngest agent on the team jumped up.

"That's the spirit." Garcia smiled.

"Sign me up no telling what might happen." Morgan smirked.

"Have fun without me." Reilly told them. She didn't want to go. There would be no real fun. She couldn't do it. There would be no fun in it really. She'd go but she wouldn't be able to connect with anyone there.

"I'm kidnapping you, you are going. I know a guy who would be just perfect for you." Garcia said. "I'm not going. I will get on a plane and fly myself to Canada if I must." Reilly protested.

"If you don't go I'm posting a profile for you on every single online dating site I know. And that means quite a few." Everyone looked at the redheaded woman. Reilly looked down with defeat. "I hate you people."

"What do you mean you people?" Morgan asked.

"Morgan don't you start with me. Stop watching Tropic Thunder." Reilly told him. She regretted showing him that movie. She had only watched it because Robert Downey Jr. was one of her favorite actors. "You're an idiot." Reilly smiled.

.::*::.

They did have a case before Halloween. One that put a chill down everyone's spine. But having something fun to look forward to was a reason to smile. "If you don't come out of that room I'm walking into that room and dragging you out myself." Emily said.

Reilly slipped on her mask and walked out of her bedroom. They had gathered a the woman's house to get dressed for the evening. Eve had chosen a new dress to wear that night. Like her other one this one was lace back and it went from red to black. Her necklace stood out against her chest. Black earrings flickered in strands of red hair. This was a woman who planned to make heads turn.

Reilly opened the door with a smile. "Better for you? I had to get my gun on." Reilly explained. "Your gun?"

"Yup and badge." Reilly told JJ. A horn sounded outside. "The boys are here." Garcia called to them. Each woman lifted the hems of their dresses and went down stairs. Reilly was the last one out as she turned out the lights and locked the door. Already in the SUV JJ looked at Garcia. "Are you sure he's going to show up after we arrive?" JJ asked.

"Yeah. He and Will are going to meet us there." Garcia said. Reilly got into the SUV.

"Well I must say you ladies look lovely tonight." Rossi complimented them as they got out of the SUV having reached their destination.

"Remember no talking ladies and gentlemen. No revealing until midnight. But until then drink, dance and be merry play a trick or two if you so wish there a people monitoring the room. If they see you talk they escort you out." The woman on stage told them.

Everyone was dancing and sitting together. Reilly saw the tall thin yet muscled man walk up to her. His eyes were a beautiful blue. He presented his hand to her. Reilly took it and let him walk her into a dance. It was one of those group dances where you moved fast and switched partners.

They danced and circled around each other and others. But the dance ended and they found themselves in each other's arms. Reilly pulled away from the man. His touch was to inviting and how she craved the touch of another to feel warm and safe again. She wanted that again but she didn't want to risk getting hurt again.

Reilly found herself in the bathroom staring at her in the mirror. Where did that fire go? Where was the woman she had been? Was she so afraid that she had to question everything? Even on cases she thinks of what the fathers and husbands and brothers of the victims can do if they so wanted. It sent chilling shivers down her spine in a fearful way.

Reilly reined it in and told herself to stow that part of her. Just for a few more hours.

The gentleman she had danced with did not disappear for long. He soon appeared with a drink in hand for her. They were soon dancing around each other in swirls of body language. Slight touches, nods and smiles.

"Alright everyone ten minutes to midnight. Find that someone who managed to woo you tonight for the big unveiling." The woman on stage smiled as she looked at everyone looking around. Reilly was going to go find the others but the man she had been dancing with that night caught her hand.

She could see the look in his eyes. He wanted to see what she looked like under her mask. Reilly wouldn't lie she wanted to see the man's face as well. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." The countdown ended and masks came off. Some laughed, some cheered, Reilly stared in shock at the man before her.

"Claude." Reilly grabbed her skirts to hike them up a bit to run away from him. She barely made it out the door in the crowed of people. The others who had been keeping an eye on them were about to follow but Garcia stopped them.

"They need this time alone. She needs this time alone with him." Garcia told them.

.::*::.

"Cher wait." Jean-Claude called after her.

"Go away this wasn't suppose to happen Claude go home you didn't see me okay. Right now I don't exist go back inside and have fun but you never saw me." Reilly called to him.

Claude grabbed Reilly's shoulder the redheaded woman jerked away from him and reached for her gun under her skirts but did not draw it. "Cher what is this about? I get a letter saying your never coming back. Yet here you are. Where were you really? I missed you like hell and my heart broke when you were gone." Claude told her.

"Claude like I said forget you saw me and forget I exist and move on." Reilly said.

"Why can't I have an explanation? I deserve that much Cher. I loved you I still love you. I want to be with you."

"How could you want to be with me? I'm nothing now Claude I don't even want to be with myself let alone have to see everyday what is left of what once was. I'm not what I once was." Reilly spoke as if she had aged twenty years. She might as well have.

Claude stood speechless as Reilly took her chance to hale a cab on the busy street and leave. Reilly got home and didn't make it far before she fell to her knees in tears. It wasn't fair.

.::*::.

Despite everyone feeling a bit run down he or she all showed up to work. Morgan bragged about the three numbers he had gotten to Reid. Emily stood by and rolled her eyes with a smile. Hotch shook his head as he sat in his office. Garcia smiled at her co-workers but she did not meet the eyes of the redhead.

The glare from the woman was clearly directed to the plump woman. Reilly got up from her desk and if there was ever a time to feel like you were in one of those old western movies where you run inside and close the shutters it was now. The look in her eyes was intimidating to even Morgan it reminded him of when his mother was mad at them when they misbehaved.

Reilly took Garcia by the arm and led her out of the bullpen. Reilly took them into the bathroom and checked the stalls before locking the door. Looking at the bottom of the door she checked to see if anyone was listening.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Reilly turned on the woman. Garcia said nothing. "Do you have any idea what you've done? I gave him that letter telling him exactly what I wanted you had no right to tell him where I was. Don't tell me it wasn't you. I know very well it was your idea Garcia. I trusted you and now I'm hurting more then ever." Reilly told her. Reilly glanced and the door and slammed her hand on it to give the people standing on the other side a warning.

"That's why I did it. You and him have a connection why not get back together with him. You love him and you know it." Garcia protested.

"I don't care how much I love him. He won't want to be with me once he knows. I'm not something to be had anymore. Those nightmares we have from working this job I now see myself as the victim. How can he want to be with me when I barely want to be myself? I almost gave up but I didn't because other people need my help. I'm here to do my job not fall in love." Reilly left out the bathroom glaring at those who had the nerve to wait by the door and try to listen.

Reilly was in a foul mood for the following days. Days turned into weeks. No one tried to speak to her but Hotch or Rossi but even then those were orders. But it made things hard on the team when you weren't sure how your co-worker would react when they were in a mood that made you fear when it wasn't even directed at you.

"Hey Kiddo let me talk to you for a few minutes before you head out." Rossi said waving Reilly into his office. Reilly sat down on the couch.

"So what's the problem? You haven't been like yourself for quite sometime." Rossi said.

"Don't do it Rossi. Al long as the job gets done it doesn't matter. People are safe the bad guy goes behind bars and I go home." Reilly said as she opened the office door to walk out.

"Just because of what happened doesn't mean that you don't deserve love." Rossi said. Reilly looked at him over her should and continued out the door for home. Hotch managed to catch her in the parking lot.

"Reilly I didn't want to do this but I'm suspending you for the next months time. I don't want to see you in here until after New Year. While your gone I want you to attend these meetings. I'll know if you don't. If you don't, well then, I'm firing you." Hotch handed her the pamphlet and left.

Reilly headed for the first liquor store she could find and bought a six-pack of beer before heading home and letting herself slip into a drunken pity feast. It was a week before she finally got up from her bed, showered, dressed and headed for her first rape victims meeting.

If she ever wanted to see the field again she would have to go.

The circle was large and the meeting had already started. "Ah a new comer. Please come in have a seat we always welcome people who need support." The woman went to bring her into the group circle Reilly took to sitting on top of a desk and crossing her legs while listening to the other women speak about what happened and how they felt.

"How about you? Would you like to share?" the woman who had greeted her asked.

"No." Reilly said. The meeting was obviously over and Reilly was the first to leave. They met again the next day and Reilly again did not speak. It went on for a week. "How about something from our FBI agent?" the woman who seemed to be the leader or director of this meeting asked.

"Look I don't want to be here I have no problem with what happened to me and I don't need to talk about it. I'm only here so I can go back to work." Reilly told them.

"But you'll find it easier if you talk about. That's what this is. You share with us what happened and slowly begin to heal over it." The woman said. Reilly learned that her name was Cara.

"You hold a lot of anger and you're here because your team in worried about you. If you let this go on to long it will slowly destroy you." Cara continued.

"Don't do that. I know what happened to me other people know what happened to me. It's my own private hell and I plan to keep it that way. No one said I had to say anything and I won't. It's bad enough I have nightmares now I suddenly need to tell other people what happened to me. I will not hold it against the rest of you who have come here but I don't need this." Reilly left.

She didn't return for a week. Simply for the fact of she was going to stop going all together. But the visit from Hotch said otherwise. "If you don't figure out how to deal with this Reilly I'm signing the paper work. Yes I have it all filled out. It's been going on for more then a year it needs to end." Hotch didn't think it would carry this far. Even Reid had gotten over his problem sooner.

The deadline stayed to January 10th. Reilly went to her meeting on December 17th.

When they finally came down to Reilly she sighed and then took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm an FBI agent I help save other people from this. Sometimes we're to late and sometimes we wind up the victims that time I was the victim. It was a group rape of four men and they nearly killed me." Reilly told them. Wide eyes went around the circle as they looked at her.

No one had come close to death. Reilly went on further explaining her injuries and how she fled from the hospital and what she had though of herself and how she couldn't go back to the man she had left. But the time January second rolled around Reilly felt slightly better but it still didn't remove the pain of what had been done.

"You don't have to shun a man's touch because of what happened. I was raped before I met my husband and for a long time I was scared of men. But he changed that he tells me everyday that I am worth something. That I am worthy of love and worthy of him. Just because something like this happens to you don't mean you have to give up on love." Cara told them.

A few other women nodded in agreement.

When the meeting was over a large woman stopped her. "There's still some suppressed anger in you isn't there? Like you need to punch something throw out a few kicks?" the woman asked.

"Your Billie right?" Reilly asked. That's what the woman went by. Her real name was Rebecca but she liked being called Billie rather then Becky. She had a husband and two beautiful baby girls when she had been attacked six months ago. Her husband and her family had been the bigger support for her but the meetings helped.

"Meet me at Mark's boxing center today at three if you can. It's on Fleet street." Billie told her. Reilly nodded. How bad could a bit of boxing be?

.::*::.

Reilly found the boxing club and Billie was waiting for her. "You made it. Come on we gotten wrap your hands before we start." Billie told her. Reilly changed her clothes and let Billie wrap her hands and give her a pair of gloves to go.

"So being from the FBI I know you gotta throw a pretty hard punch or have some training when it comes to taking down suspects." Billie said.

"I do."

"Then have at it. Let all your anger go on that punching bag." Billie instructed. Reilly looked at it and removed the gloves. Throwing the first few she threw a couple more before kicking at it. "That's it apply the training." Billie told her. Reilly finally stopped and looked at Billie.

"They don't go easy on you guys. I though training as a cop was hard." Billie smiled.

"That's what you do?" Reilly asked.

"Yup. I've been one for seven years. Training is no joke." Billie said as she had her go at the bag. Some of these guys really think they can take on a woman of six feet. My husband stands at six; six and he still can't believe I'm this tall without my heels. It's funny really." Billie said.

"Hey Billie!" a man called to her. "Hi Jack. Jack this is a friend of mine Reilly. Reilly this is Jack the owner." Billie told her.

"But it's called Mark's." Reilly pointed out.

"Mark is my father. He started this place back when he was a younger man now I run it in his name and his honor." Jack smiled. "Billie you coming to the next boxing match?" Jack asked.

"Nah I've gotta work. Maybe Reilly can make it." Billie looked to the redhead.

"No I can't." Reilly said.

They talked for a bit longer and the two women went to get changed. They would have an early dinner before heading home. "Hey Reilly." Jack jogged up to them as they were walking out the door. "You look like you would be a pretty good bare knuckles boxing. It's painful but fun we have a woman's league here come back after the New Year and I can give you some more information." Jack told her.

"Alright Jack. I'll see you then." Reilly left with Billie. Heading home she figured it was time to pack for her parents place. Whatever Christmas parties they were having she wasn't going to attend. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


End file.
